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“I’m Sorry”: DeForest Buckner Sends Final Message to Colts Fans After Trade to 49ers
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- “I’m Sorry”: DeForest Buckner Sends Final Message to Colts Fans After Trade to 49ers
DeForest Buckner ©IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire
DeForest Buckner gave the Indianapolis Colts six and a half years of his NFL career, leaving everything on the field in pursuit of a championship. Now, as the veteran defensive tackle prepares for another start with the San Francisco 49ers , he has one final message for the fanbase that supported him through the highs and lows.
And it comes with an emotional apology.
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Uploading a post on his Instagram, Buckner wrote , "Forever grateful to the Indianapolis Colts Organization and Irsay family for blessing me with the opportunity to wear the Horseshoe. These past 6 and a half years have been full of blessings. My family and I are proud to have called Indy our home!"
"I've made some life-lasting friendships inside the building and out in the community that I will always cherish. I'm sorry we couldn't get the job done, but just know that I poured my heart and soul into the organization and the community the best way I knew how to. God Bless! Love ????99????."
His tenure with the Colts began in 2020, when the franchise acquired him from the 49ers in exchange for a first-round draft pick. Buckner quickly became a cornerstone of the defensive line. Despite his individual contributions, the Colts were unable to turn his time in Indianapolis into a Super Bowl appearance.
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But at 2-5 this season, Indianapolis is reshaping its roster. The Colts received a 2027 fourth-round draft pick in exchange for the defensive tackle.
For the 49ers, the reunion is a chance to bring back a familiar presence who knows the franchise's culture and expectations. San Francisco originally selected Buckner with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, and he helped the team reach Super Bowl LIV before being traded to Indianapolis in 2020.
During his time with the Colts, Buckner recorded 47 sacks, 420 tackles, and 63 tackles for loss in 95 games, earning first-team All-Pro recognition in 2020 and Pro Bowl selections in 2021 and 2023.
Apart from Buckner, the Colts also traded their guard , Quenton Nelson, the eight-time Pro Bowler, to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Together, the trades gave the Colts three additional future picks and some more draft capital over the next two years.
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Both players were long-standing blocks on the Colts' line, so the trades signal a great shift in how the front office is approaching the roster.
Now, the veteran defensive tackle returns to the franchise where his NFL journey began, carrying the experience of six and a half seasons in Indianapolis with him. In his own words, he is leaving Indianapolis after all the effort he has given.
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