Even during the times of isolation, the Indianapolis Colts are doing everything they can to better the team and prepare the entire roster for what is ahead in the 2020 season.
Though they are all separated in their respective homes, the Colts brought in legendary NBA shooting guard Ray Allen to speak to the team. Getting the perspective of a legend from another sport can sometimes help, and a few Colts talked about what Allen touched on during the call.
“Talking to him, the only advice he could give me on being a young guy and having to talk to other men who are way older than you, the only thing you can do is continue to do what you can do and that is go out and show that you are a leader,” said linebacker Darius Leonard. “Go out and play as if you are a leader and the rest of it will fall into place.”
The Colts have built a certain culture in the locker room. One that preaches accountability and leadership throughout the roster. Some voices may hold more weight than others, but the culture being built is one of the primary focuses of the front office.
Leonard, who is one of the defense’s leaders both in his play and his vocal motivation, enters a big Year 3 where he can truly take the next step into the elite category of linebackers.
But Allen’s message also resonated with a veteran leader who likes to blend into the crowd. Tight end Jack Doyle won’t have the team wanting to run through a brick wall with a rousing speech. Instead, he prefers to lead by example.
“Just hearing him talk about what he went through, his daily routine and the importance of routine in his daily life,” Doyle said. “I really appreciated that because I am a very routine person myself so it was very cool to hear what his day was like and I really enjoyed that talk. He gave us some really great insight.”
It isn’t clear when the Colts will be able to get back together on the field again, but they are still trying to build the culture in the locker room a certain way.