Colts’ Zaire Franklin gets shaky injury announcement

The Indianapolis Colts' defensive heartbeat is Zaire Franklin.

The Syracuse product played every defensive snap for the Colts in 2024, along with a bunch of special team snaps.

Franklin made the Pro Bowl and the AP second-team All-Pro after totaling 173 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, along with five forced fumbles and two interceptions.

But the Colts might not have Franklin on the field right away when they show up at training camp.

Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen told reporters that Franklin had a clean-up procedure on his ankle.

Franklin isn't up to full speed yet.

“It’ll take some time, but hopefully he’ll be back by training camp,” Steichen said.

On the bright side, Franklin still has a couple months until training camp.

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That hopefully means everything is healed up and there are no recurring effects to the surgery.

The Colts will be hoping Franklin can continue one of the more inspirational careers in the NFL.

Franklin was only taken in the seventh round out of Syracuse in 2018. He'd become a legend for the Orange, but he wasn't viewed as a full-time NFL linebacker.

For four seasons, he wasn't. But then in 2022, the Colts needed him on the field and simply couldn't take him off.

For three years in a row, Franklin has totaled at least 167 tackles. He's a superstar.

The Colts are hoping he can keep that streak of stellar performance going in 2025.

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