Former HBCU & Indianapolis Colts star has interesting post-football career

Posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Andrew Prue, former NFL linebacker and HBCU star Shaquille Leonard was seen coaching the Lakeview Gators, who won their game 37-0.

The post reads: “COACH MANIAC! 🏈 Former #Colts Pro Bowl LB & free agent Shaquille Leonard (@dsleon45) is helping his local high school in South Carolina as part of the @lvhs_gators coaching staff. The Gators won tonight 37-0. The SC State all-time tackle leader will be inducted into the @SCStateAthletic HOF next Friday.”

Leonard, the HBCU standout who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, had a successful NFL career. In 75 regular-season games, he recorded 637 tackles, 31 passes defensed, 17 forced fumbles, 16 sacks, and 12 interceptions over six seasons.

In his most recent season, he played in 14 games and tallied 88 tackles. Although Leonard remains a free agent, he has shifted his focus and is not stressing about joining a team anytime soon.

“If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I think throughout my career I’ve had a great career, even if I do step away from it. I’m enjoying life and just waiting on that opportunity,” Leonard told the Indianapolis Star’s Kyle Smedley ahead of NFL training camp.

At South Carolina State, he concluded his Bulldog career as the all-time leading tackler in school history, with 393 total tackles, 53.5 tackles for loss, 22 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and six interceptions. He earned All-MEAC honors all four seasons and was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017, as well as HBCU Defensive Player of the Year twice.

Drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Colts, Leonard led the league in tackles as a rookie and earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-Pro honors.

Leonard is also dedicated to helping his community in Lakeview, South Carolina, through his Maniac Foundation, which has upgraded a community park, distributed turkeys at Thanksgiving, and hosted an annual youth football camp.

Kyahl J. Dorsey is a senior journalism and mass communications major at North Carolina A&T and an experienced student journalist. Kyahl has worked with the Charlotte Observer and Rock Hill Herald.