Darius Leonard demands respect after Colts were shutout at NFL Honors

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 04: Darius Leonard #53 of the Indianapolis Colts walks off the field after the game against the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 04, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 04: Darius Leonard #53 of the Indianapolis Colts walks off the field after the game against the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 04, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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The Indianapolis Colts didn’t win any major awards at the NFL Honors and Darius Leonard is fed up.

Darius Leonard was undoubtedly one of the best defenders in the NFL this season. Jonathan Taylor was not only one of the best offensive players this year, but he was one of the best players in the league.

Additionally, Reggie Wayne is one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. Despite these facts, the Indianapolis Colts left the NFL Honors empty-handed, not winning any major award or being selected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

Leonard didn’t receive a single vote for Defensive Player of the Year and Taylor finished second in Offensive Player of the Year voting with just 10 votes out of 50 total.

Following the award show, Leonard took to Twitter to share his thoughts about how the Colts are viewed.

Darius Leonard yearns for the day the Colts get respect

It’s hard to argue the ultimate award recipients, TJ Watt and Cooper Kupp were certainly deserving. With a league as talented as the NFL, there will always be multiple players who are deserving of an award in a single season.

However, Leonard still has a point, and his frustration may be more with the process than the outcome. Only one person can win an award, but there’s plenty of praise that can be given out.

The Colts don’t always receive the praise that they merit. Jonathan Taylor did this season, he had a special year and was regularly recognized for it in national media. Leonard on the other hand was not.

The numbers he put up this season were ridiculous and the way he impacted games with his turnover-forcing ability is second to none. His defensive prowess should’ve been more of a conversation in the NFL world.

Surely Indianapolis had a disappointing finish to the season and the players may have been written off because of it, but it was a stretch during the season when the Colts were arguably the best team in football.

Leonard and Taylor were a big reason why. Based on the tone of Darius Leonard’s tweet, it seems like he is going to make sure the rest of the world understands that.