If you ask Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard what his goals are for anything, don’t believe he is going to temper expectations. He wants all of the milestones. He wants all of the records.
So when he was asked Tuesday what his goals are for the upcoming 2019 campaign—his second pro season—the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year didn’t back down.
“I want 200 tackles. I want 10 sacks. I want to be NFL Defensive Player of the Year,” Leonard said on NFL Network. “I want to be All-Pro, Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP. Just everything with my name at the top of the charts.”
The NFL’s tackle king during his rookie year despite missing a game due to injury. He even did so while dealing with an ankle injury throughout the majority of the season—one that required an offseason procedure.
Entering just his second season, there is no shortage of motivation for the South Carolina State product.
“Last year, I was called the worst draft pick by Bleacher Report,” Leonard said. “I screenshotted it and every day I looked at it and it kind of gave me the drive to prove that I wasn’t the worst draft pick and I could play at the next level.
“I still have that chip on my shoulder. I wasn’t MVP. I wasn’t at the top of the charts. I wasn’t a Pro Bowler. I wasn’t a Super Bowl champion. So, that’s still goals that I want to achieve. And until I achieve them goals, I’m gonna still have that chip on my shoulder to outplay everybody and be the top competitor that I can be.”
Leonard will be leading a Colts defense that should have plenty more depth than the unit has seen in recent seasons.
His goals may be lofty, but expect Leonard to do all he can to reach as many as possible.
