Colts Captain Shares Heartfelt Statements After Return to Practice

Linebacker Zaire Franklin has been a staple of the Indianapolis Colts' defense for the past three years, slowly developing from a seventh-round pick into a bona fide starter and eventual team captain.

Franklin played every single defensive snap for Indianapolis last season (1,156 snaps total) and finished the year with 173 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Franklin has made his presence felt, regardless of the opponent, a testament to his grit and hard work that have taken him to the professional level.

Earlier this offseason, Franklin was forced to undergo ankle surgery, a procedure that kept him out of the first several training camp practices and the offseason program. After a nearly three-month recovery, Franklin made his return to the field a few days ago.

We got Zaire Franklin in pads today pic.twitter.com/ZreZnTSgxc
— 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙠𝙖𝙢𝙥 📸 (@LukeVerkamp) August 2, 2025

The Colts' star linebacker was emotional when talking about his comeback, as it was the longest amount of time he's ever missed due to injury.

"I can’t lie, I almost shed a tear yesterday when I first got on that field," Franklin said. "I’ve never missed that much time before. So, just the journey that I have been through – God’s grace and guidance, working through it. Shoutout to the medical team here in Indy. They definitely took care of me all summer, pushing me, dealing with me every day. You know I'm a lot to deal with. So, it felt great to be back out there with the guys.”

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Zaire Franklin just bodied Derrick Henry😤 pic.twitter.com/UYDkOBL1at
— Colts Coverage (@Colts_Coverage) October 8, 2023

It was Franklin's first surgery since joining the league in 2018. "They've been trying to get me to take an off day for like three years, and I've been telling them hell no. So, God scheduled some off days for me," Franklin joked.

As a seasoned veteran, Franklin knows the problems that come with recovery. It's easy to get isolated, but Franklin did his best to stay involved any way he could.

“Man, watching so many guys throughout the years, when they get hurt – when you’re on that rehab process, it’s so easy to get disconnected from the team and kind of really be by yourself," Franklin saId. "That’s when a lot of that mental stuff starts to weigh on you. I was just very intentional just making sure I was still locked in with the guys whether that was at practice, meetings, in the building – trying to still be very much present. Then honestly when it came to my rehab, it was a process. I didn’t take anything personal. I gave myself grace. I committed to my journey and my plan. Trusted the trainers I had around me. Whether it was a step back or step forward, I took everything one day at a time.”

BLOW UP THE O-LINEMAN RUNNING SIDEWAYS!!!🚨🚨🚨

Indianapolis Colts LB Zaire Franklin is a DAWG!😤🔥 Offensive linemen have no power when they are running sideways. Attack them and push them back in your gap!@ZiggySmalls_ pic.twitter.com/KayLyoC0hB
— Linebackers University™ (@Linebackers_U) June 18, 2025

Franklin's adversity and "no time off" mentality earned him his first Pro Bowl nomination last year, along with a place on the AP Second-Team All-Pro list.

The Colts will need Franklin not only as their starting linebacker in 2025 -- but as a leader, voice, and tone-setter.

Recommended Articles