Former Colts LB Shaquille Leonard feels 'stabbed in the back' by former coach

Shaquille Leonard still feels he was wronged by the Indianapolis Colts , and one member of the organization in particular. The 30-year-old who earned three All-Pro honors in six seasons with the Colts was released midway through the 2023 season as he struggled in his return from multiple back surgeries. Leonard wanted to remain a prominent part of the defense, and he and then-defensive coordinator Gus Bradley couldn't find common ground.

"I don't think I can take that mental hurt again, when you give everything to somebody or an organization, and they say that I was a bad teammate," Leonard said on the " On My Soul " podcast hosted by former Colts player Eric Ebron and former NFL player Jaylen Samuel. Leonard said he heard that Bradley had called him a bad teammate in the weeks leading up to his release. "That's what broke my heart, bro," Leonard said.

"It broke my heart to the point where I said, 'I don't want to play in the NFL anymore. If this is how ruthless it is. '" Leonard acknowledged he was no longer in top form, but maintained he had done everything he could to help the Colts.

"We were playing bad defensively, not just because of me, but somebody had to take the blame. So if the DC ain't taking the blame, the next person's gotta go," he said. "I understand the business part of it, where it's got to be you or me, but just be real about it," Leonard added.