Former Syracuse linebacker and current Indianapolis Colts captain Zaire Franklin set the Colts’ single-season tackle record after scoring seven in Sunday’s Colts season finals. Franklin’s total tackle for the 2022 season was raised to 166, beating the previous franchise record of 163 set by Shaquille Leonard in 2018.
“It’s been a journey,” Franklin said via Colts.com. “I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to prove myself in the league this year and have been able to establish myself as a real player in this league and a playmaker. And this record is just the icing on the cake.”
However, Franklin almost had to settle for breaking the record after suffering an apparent protracted injury in the third quarter. However, he was able to get up and finish the game.
“Once I start a game, I want to finish it,” Franklin said. “Being out there with my teammates means everything to me. I know they depend on me and if I could ever go, I will go no matter the circumstances, no matter what it is. When I was down, as soon as I could feel my ankle, I was like, “You know what? Let’s see if we can go ahead and get back out there.” There was no way I was coming back for the boys.”
Franklin was a seventh-round pick by the Colts during the 2018 NFL draft. Few expected him to make a difference in the NFL, but he quickly made an impact on the Colts organization. He became an instant special team standout, spending increasing amounts of time on defensive rotation each year of his career, culminating in being a key figure in 2022.
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“(It’s) a combination of a lot of hard work, believing in myself and having faith in my teammates,” Franklin said. “I’m thankful for the coaches and my teammates who put me in the right position to play games.”
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