Former Indianapolis Colts star Shaquille Leonard knows just how difficult it is to sustain a long career in the NFL. Since his debut, Leonard has been considered a legendary linebacker. But contrary to his skills, his career was short-lived. And surprisingly, no game-related injuries were responsible for his retirement. In his latest appearance on the On My Soul podcast, the former linebacker revealed what, or more specifically, WHO pushed him to retire.

“I don’t think I could take that mental hurt again when you give everything to somebody or an organization and they say that I was a bad teammate,” said Shaquille Leonard.

“It broke my heart to a point where I said I don’t want to play in the NFL anymore. We were playing bad defensively. Not just because of me, somebody had to take the blame. So, if the DC ain’t taking the blame, the next person gotta go. Just be real about it. Don’t tarnish my name and my reputation. I walked away from it because of that. I didn’t feel like I could give my all to somebody and get stabbed in the back as I did with Gus Bradley.”

Where Does Colts Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

QB

RB

FB

WR

TE

C

CB

DE

DT

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

S

T

View Tony’s Picks

The Indianapolis Colts drafted Shaquille Leonard in 2018. In his rookie year, Leonard earned tons of accolades, including:

1. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
2. First-team All-Pro
3. NFL solo tackles leader
4. NFL combined tackles leader
5. PFWA All-Rookie Team

The linebacker was at the top of his game, proving that he was in for the long haul. He spent five seasons with the Colts, but problems surfaced during the fifth season.

According to the LB, he had a problem with former Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The Colts hired Bradley in 2022. That year, Leonard played only three games, as he suffered a concussion and a back injury. 2023 was his comeback season, but it did not turn out how he had hoped. He was visibly frustrated over the coaches not allowing him enough defensive snaps. Instead, linebacker E.J. Speed received more defensive snaps.

Bradley even mentioned that the LB “wasn’t doing treatment,” despite hiring people to help him get better. But it wasn’t just that. The coaching staff used the four-time All-Pro as a scapegoat for a poor defensive performance. The entire defensive line was bad, but instead of taking the blame on himself, Bradley passed the blame to Leonard, calling him a bad teammate.

Ultimately, the Colts waived him in November 2023, and the Philadelphia Eagles signed him.

After a brief five-game stint with the Eagles, Leonard sat out the entire 2024 season. The Colts then parted ways with Gus Bradley in January 2025, and by that October, the three-time Pro Bowler returned to Indianapolis for a single day to officially retire as a Colt.

At just 30, Leonard wrapped up his career, unable to take the backstabbing anymore. He finished his career with 637 tackles (34 tackles for loss), 31 passes deflected, 21 quarterback hits, 16 sacks, and 12 interceptions. While it was a harsh end to Shaquille Leonard’s career, he is not the only one who has had a fallout with coaches and franchises.

Shaquille Leonard isn’t the only NFL player who chose early retirement

Despite giving his all, Shaquille Leonard did not receive everything he wished for. But it isn’t just him. Several other names in the football world have gone through the same thing. The first name that often comes to mind is running back Barry Sanders.

Sanders was a star during his time. Drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1989, he made ten straight All-Pros and Pro Bowls before retiring in 1998. But behind all the glamour, Sanders was fighting a tough battle.

Sanders revealed that he was disappointed with the Lions’ front office. They let go of top players like center Kevin Glover, offensive tackle Lomas Brown, safety Bennie Blades, and, most importantly, head coach Wayne Fontes. He enjoyed playing with these individuals, but they were all either traded or released.

Subsequently, he also felt that the franchise did not have a realistic chance of winning a championship and that the team was heading towards a massive rebuild.

He then started to lose his passion for the game over time and cited “desire to exit the game was greater than my desire to remain in it.” Eventually, he retired before the training camp of the 1999 season, with 15,269 rushing yards. He was only 1,457 yards away from surpassing Walter Payton as the rushing leader.