For rookies, effect of the contract deal with the Colts goes beyond football

Buckner, who signed a contract extension with the Colts on Monday, is entering his fifth season in Indianapolis. 

DeForest Buckner grew up in Hawaii before attending Oregon and spending the first four years of his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers.

However, after signing a contract extension with the Colts on Monday, Buckner and his family’s ties to not only their club, but also to Indianapolis, which is nearly 2,000 miles from the Pacific Ocean, will further strengthen.

“Being able to come here back in 2020, my wife and I were just starting our family,” said Buckner. “We now have two lovely illite boys, and it’s been incredible to raise them in this setting and culture in Indianapolis. The people have been fantastic. We’re both from the West Coast, and I’m from Hawaii, so being able to construct our small town out here with the locals has been incredible, dude. There was no other location we wanted to be; our family is anchored here.”

Buckner has been one of the NFL’s greatest and most consistent interior defensive lineman since joining the Colts in 2020, when the team dealt a first-round pick to the 49ers for the 6-foot-7, 295-pound defensive tackle. He was chosen a first-team AP All-Pro in 2020, participated in the 2022 and 2024 Pro Bowls, and was elected team captain in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Buckner is the only NFL defensive tackle to record at least seven sacks, 18 quarterback hits, and ten tackles for loss in each of the previous four seasons. As he signed his deal on Monday, he pondered on the effort he’s put in not only to establish himself as a consistently disruptive interior presence, but also as a player deserving of a difficult-to-get third NFL contract.

“It means a lot,” Buckner explained. “Four years ago, (Chris) Ballard and the Irsays brought me in to perform a job and try to help this team and help lead this squad, and it’s just a surreal feeling to be able to come back for a couple more years, and Ballard’s faith in me as a player, as a person, means a lot.

“… This game is all about consistency. It’s been quite wonderful to be able to consistently play at a high level over the last few years. A second contract is difficult, but a third is even more challenging.”

Over the last four seasons, the Buckner-Stewart tandem has been a crucial factor in the Colts’ defensive success. Since 2020, the Colts have had the sixth-highest combined Pro Football Focus defense grade among defensive tackles. But Buckner believes he and Stewart can improve as they spend more time together in Indianapolis.

“We can continue to improve each year,” Buckner added. “We’ve had great chemistry since I arrived in 2020. Every year, we push each other, whether it’s in drills or whatever, and we’re always fighting to make each other better. That is the type of relationship you want with your teammates. That’s where we can perform at such a high level. It’s been a lot of joy to see Grove grow as a player over the years, and he still has the potential to be even great. I’m just thrilled to be able to do it for the next several years.”

Buckner’s contract renewal this week also provided him and his family with something rare among NFL players: stability. Buckner’s motivations for wanting to stay with the Colts extend beyond football.

And, as Buckner’s impact on the field for the Colts grows, so will his family’s roots in central Indiana.

Buckner’s contract renewal this week also provided him and his family with something rare among NFL players: stability. Buckner’s motivations for wanting to stay with the Colts extend beyond football.

And, as Buckner’s impact on the field for the Colts grows, so will his family’s roots in central Indiana.