Darius Leonard ready to show Aaron Rodgers he's NFL's best linebacker: 'I want to leave a mark'

Following the Packers' Week 9 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers had high praise for Fred Werner, calling him the best linebacker in the league. Colts linebacker Darius Leonard apparently took the compliment towards Werner as a slight against himself, and the former Defensive Rookie of the Year says he plans to show Rodgers who the real best linebacker in the league is when the Colts face off against the Packers this Sunday.

"I seen it as soon as he said it," Leonard said Thursday. "You hear things like that and it gives you extra motivation going to play. [Rodgers has] been in the league for a long time. For him to say that about Fred Warner, they play sometimes twice a year, so my first time I want to leave a mark. Hopefully, change his mind on what he said about that."

It may seem like an overreaction from Leonard, but players will often use even the slightest possible insult as motivation and so it's understandable that he would take this comment personally. To Leonard's credit, he has undoubtedly established himself as one of the league's elite linebackers since being drafted by Indianapolis in 2018.

Leonard has helped the Colts boast one of the top defenses in the league this season, giving up the least amount of yards and fourth-fewest points per game. Indianapolis will need to bring their best defensive effort to slow down Rodgers and the Packers' offense, who are currently the third-highest scoring attack this season.