Zaire Franklin Sets Indianapolis Colts Single Season Tackle Record

The former Syracuse linebacker has had a tremendous 2022 season.

Mike McAllister | Jan 8, 2023

Zaire Franklin Sets Indianapolis Colts Single Season Tackle Record /

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Former Syracuse linebacker and current Indianapolis Colts captain Zaire Franklin set the single season Colts tackle record after recording seven in the Colts season finale on Sunday. Franklin's tackle total for the 2022 campaign was pushed to 166, which surpassed 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 thankful that I was able to prove myself in the league this year and stamp myself as a true player in this league and playmaker. And this record is just the icing on top."

Franklin almost had to settle for tying the record, though, after suffering an apparent injury in the third quarter that kept on the turf for an extended period of time. He was able to get up and finish the game, however.

"If I started 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 ever could go, I'm going to go no matter the circumstance no matter, whatever 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 move on it and get back out there.' There was no way I wasn't going to come back in for the guys."

Franklin was a seventh round pick of the Colts during the 2018 NFL Draft. Few expected him to make an impact in the NFL, but he quickly made an impression on the Colts organization. He instantly became a special teams standout and saw more and more time in the defensive rotation each year of his career culminating with being a key figure in 2022.

"(It's) a combination of a lot of hard work, just believing in myself, and trusting in my teammates," Franklin said. "I'm thankful for the coaches and my teammates who put me in the right position to make plays."

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Published Jan 8, 2023

MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting. EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans. After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years. Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports. Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College.