There is no question that DeForest Buckner has been nothing short of a stand-up guy, a respectable role model, and a leader on and off the field since he joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2020. Buckner had just wrapped up his San Francisco 49ers career of four seasons with a Super Bowl appearance before being traded.
Since then, Buckner has been the player and teammate every franchise wants, but he's also backed up who he is with what he's done on the field for the Colts. Unfortunately, Buckner hasn't been in the playoffs since that trade, as the Colts haven't made the postseason in five years. In that sense, it's been a rough ride so far, but in another sense, it's been rougher.
As the Colts gear up for the 2026-27 NFL season, expectations are high, and coaches, mainly Shane Steichen, are on the hot seat, and you can add team general manager Chris Ballard to that hot seat as well. Making the playoffs will be a trek, but Buckner just wants to play football again. Although his path back onto the field hasn’t been easy, he recently opened up about that journey.
DeForest Buckner opens up on his recovery and return to the Indianapolis Colts' active roster
Last season ended early for Buckner due to a herniated disc in his neck pressing against a nerve. After trying various healing options that never panned out, Buckner opted for neck surgery, a successful endeavor that led to Buckner's recovery path and a hopeful future in football once again.
A future in football wasn't a sure thing for the three-time Pro Bowler, though, considering he questioned whether he wanted to return to the game he had played for a decade.
It wasn't just his future with the Colts or the NFL that Buckner was wrestling with; his home life was affected by the surgery as well. As ESPN NFL writer Stephen Holder writes, Buckner faced some 'dark thoughts' during the process.
"I found myself in some deep, dark thoughts about what am I going to do?" Buckner said. "The first couple of weeks, you can't really do much. I mean, I couldn't even pick up my own kids for a little bit. I couldn't pick up... anything heavier than 10 pounds. And that was for a while."
Had Buckner chosen to walk away from football, no one would have blamed him. At the end of the day, it is just a game, and family and future off the field are considerably more important. That said, Buckner found a way out of those dark thoughts, seemingly, and he's worked hard during his recovery to return to the Colts for next season.
Buckner will play in the final year of his contract, so his future with the Colts is up in the air for now. As for the immediate future, Colts fans should be looking forward to seeing Buckner back on the field. As a stalwart presence on their defensive line, they'll need everything and anything Buckner can give them next season.
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