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Darius Leonard did not see Philip Rivers’ retirement coming.
The linebacker admitted in the run-up to Super Bowl LV that he was stunned by the news of Rivers’ retirement, but explained that he understood the quarterback’s decision, praising Rivers for playing 17 years at a high standard.
“It was definitely a complete shock,” Leonard said, via SiriusXM NFL radio. “You know, just talking to him a few days before he announces, he still didn’t know what he was going to do. Me personally, I think he still has some in the tank. He has played really well this year since. us and I thought he was going to come back next year and do the exact same thing and play even better. “
Now that Rivers is gone, Leonard isn’t aiming for the moon with his wishes for the Colts’ next quarterback – he just wants someone who will buy what Indianapolis sells.
“Honestly, I don’t care who the quarterback is, as long as the quarterback comes in with the right mindset and he’s going to help us win baseball games,” said Leonard. “I don’t care if he’s young, I don’t care if he’s old, I don’t care if he’s famous or not. If you want to come in and put the team first and we help win football games, come to the Indianapolis Colts. “
Rumors of a potential deal to acquire Carson Wentz have put the Colts at the center of supposedly interested teams, and with the quarterbacks shifting to a higher pace than usual and the Colts needing one, they will continue to be at the heart of potential pairings with new faces. It could mean an offseason with Leonard’s team frequently in the headlines, especially after the Colts were competitive enough with Rivers to reach the wildcard round and lose a close one to Buffalo.
“I’m just going to trust the guys at the front office and then let the chips drop where they fall and control what I can control in defense, and it’s just playing hard and doing what we can do,” Leonard said. .
In mid-February, we might not know who the Colts will be looking to for some time. But we know it won’t be Rivers (or Andrew Luck).
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