Two defensive rookies were named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday night, but Colts linebacker Darius Leonard didn’t get the nod despite a season that has put him at the top of the list of contenders for defensive rookie of the year.
Leonard leads the league with 146 tackles and has seven sacks and four forced fumbles on the year, but was left out of the AFC outside linebacker group in favor of Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford and Von Miller. Those players are all 3-4 outside linebackers while Leonard plays in a 4-3 base that often calls for him to take on different responsibilities.
Leonard said on Wednesday that he was “heartbroken” to miss the cut and told tight end Eric Ebron that he’s shooting for 40 tackles against the Giants this weekend to further his case.
“Impossible? There is nothing impossible,” Leonard said, via ESPN.com. “If you play a lot of snaps you’ve just got to get on every play possible.”
Leonard was named as an alternate and history says that he’ll be getting the call to come to Orlando as one of the others will pull out of the game between now and the final Sunday in January.