Shaq Leonard waves to Colts crowd from Lucas Oil Stadium suite less than week after release

INDIANAPOLIS — Five days after Shaquille Leonard’s Colts career ended in shocking fashion, the former All-Pro linebacker was in a suite at Lucas Oil Stadium to watch Indianapolis try to get its third consecutive win against Tampa Bay.

Leonard’s presence was announced at the end of the first quarter, and the long-time star, a player whose image is still on the side of Lucas Oil Stadium, was shown on the video board.

A celebrating, appreciative Leonard drew an enormous roar from the crowd, appreciative of the way Leonard played in Indianapolis before a spinal injury robbed him of the explosiveness necessary to make the kind of dynamic, game-breaking plays that made his name.

The Colts also paid tribute to Leonard with a video montage of highlights, showing just how much he meant to the franchise.

An incredible moment, and a rare one in the NFL.

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Shaquille Leonard stunned by Colts relea 'I don't like how I was thrown out the door'

When a player like Leonard is released by his team, the focus is usually on the next step, and Leonard admitted after his release that “it hurts the way I was pushed out the door.”

But the Indianapolis front office also agonized over the decision to release Leonard, knowing how important he’s been to the Colts since he was drafted in 2018, and a banner that read “Thanks for the Memories” was quickly put across Leonard’s banner on the side of Lucas Oil Stadium this week.

Leonard also clearly loved Indianapolis; the linebacker handed out turkeys for his annual Thanksgiving giveaway on the same day he was released.

With that in mind, Sunday’s display of gratitude to Leonard makes a lot more sense.

He then took it one step further, posting on X in support of Ronnie Harrison, effectively Leonard's replacement, after he made an interception.

Leonard may still end up playing elsewhere before the end of the season — the Cowboys, Eagles and Broncos are all reportedly interested on some level — but the Indianapolis fan base will likely always have a fond place in its heart for the player known as the Maniac.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Shaq Leonard acknowledges crowd from suite at Colts game