He has spent his life pushing through it: Pressure bursts pipes or makes diamonds, he says. Wherever you are, this is how you football!Learn moreabout NFL+. Leonards mother, Lynette, turned to counseling. And he knew he wanted to take Kayla with him. Leonard is one of nine children five brothers, three sisters. ", "She was a baller - softball, basketball, and volleyball. It just means a lot to me.. [32] In Week 14, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Leonard recorded nine tackles and intercepted two passes thrown by Jameis Winston, one of which was returned for an 80 yard pick six, during the 3835 loss. How many siblings does Darius Leonard have? Everything you need for a successful fantasy football season. The All-Pro linebacker said he was hesitant to correct people about his name as he entered the league in 2018, which was influenced by the advice given to him by Hall of Famer Randy Moss as a rookie to "keep your mouth closed, keep eyes and ears open. Darius Leonard and company will likely be a borderline playoff team again next season. His life changed in one play and I know how quickly this game [can end]. A post shared by Darius Leonard (@mr_highflyer10) on Feb 10, 2019 at 4:12pm PST. I was digging a hole, going further and further in the hole, until I actually had to talk to a therapist, she says. Instead of getting in with the wrong crowd, Leonard was using some wood to make a square rim to play basketball. They left the hospital early the next morning, believing Keivonte was going to survive. In a mid-November performance against the Miami Dolphins, he recorded 11 solo tackles, a sack and an interception, becoming one of only two players in NFL history to record 10 sacks and four interceptions in his first two seasons (the other is Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher). But Darius saw what members of his family went through while he was growing up, and he didnt want any part of it.. Darius Leonard father's name is under review and mother unknown at this time. His oldest brother, Charlie Waters, is serving a life sentence for murdering an 18 years old girl during an armed robbery at a fast food restaurant. After trading D'Andre Swift to the Eagles on Saturday, Lions GM Brad Holmes went on record as saying that the exchange was a "win-win for all parties involved." "The way I'm going, I'm very happy," Leonard said. God let my child live his dream, whether or not he buys me nothing. Rather than go out, where they knew they would get looks of disapproval and feed town gossip, they hung out in private, or with a few friends. The fifth of six boys, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Leonard is the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. "I left work early because I was teaching and I had my work clothes on. It was both a celebration and a thank you to those who supported them along the way. He received an overall grade of 80.3 from Pro Football Focus, which ranked ninth among all linebackers in 2018. This is mostly accomplished by suppressing grief, which he says hed rather do than burden others. always be. He ranked in the nations top 15 in solo tackles. As a 24-year-old family man, NFL star and Colts team captain, the pressure Leonard puts on himself has only increased. When the draft came, they rented a house in Myrtle Beach and filled it with family. That called changed my life in so many ways! I just remember him leaning on the car, just crying, Kayla says. The video captured hearts - a young football player tearfully reading a thank you letter to his coach. Although he wanted to give his younger brother Darius the same opportunity, he wasnt going to. It was like, 'Wow. When my brother died, we werent even public and she said, I dont care, Im going to be the best armor for you the whole way. When I lost the scholarship at Clemson, she was there, Leonard says. He also said that Cody is in prison for being an "accessory at a wrong place, wrong time," ESPN also reported. A class clown, Leonard had to work in his senior year to get his grades and SAT scores high enough to be Division 1-eligible. There's no San Diego Chargers selected him in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. One night over the break, he was going out with friends and asked Darius if he could borrow some clothes. Just days later, that relationship would be what got Leonard through Keivontes death. But only the details of 4 of them are available. Darius Leonard was raised on a farm bailing hay, raising crops, hunting, fishing, and everything else many southerners do growing up. But through it all - their love has only grown. Thats Darius being Darius. Kayla rode with Darius to see Keivonte. Anthony During His Collegiate Days (Source: 247 Sports), When he returned home one day, Anthony recalls giving Darius a duffle bag filled with cones, resistance wires, and a speed ladder and telling him, If you want to make it, you will have to go and get it on your own.. According to Leonard, its not a coincidence that they ended up next to each other in the class picture she moved the other little girls so she could stand by me. (Kayla rolls her eyes, but doesnt deny it.) Darius could have derailed his future by trying to get revenge. But his path to NFL greatness has been far from easy. If I don't find help, And then in the 11th grade, she came back begging. [35], In Week 8 against the Detroit Lions, Leonard recorded a team high nine tackles and recorded a strip sack on quarterback Matthew Stafford which was recovered by the Colts during the 4121 win. Learn how your comment data is processed. In his rookie season, Leonard led the league in tackles and was named a First-Team All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year; he was also voted into the NFL Top 100 the following offseason. He is a recovering pro athlete and superficial intellectual. I wanted to put them on notice.. weight. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Finally, Leonard says, big schools had come calling even his dream school, Clemson, was offering a spot but he decided to stay at SCSU. He is the guy who stops to change a strangers tire on the side of a country road. I wanted to see my mom happy all the time, not having to stress out worrying about me., Leonard doesnt go into a lot of details about why his brothers -- Charlie and Cody Waters -- are incarcerated. One brother, Anthony, also played in the NFL. Survivors include: 2 daughters, Carmen and Simone McGruder; 2 grandsons, Andre II and Darius Johnson; granddaughter, Kailanie Cobb; 3 brothers, Leonard, Byron and Gregory McGruder; 2 sisters, Elizabeth and Pat McGruder; other relatives and friends. Before every game, Leonard winds tape tightly around his wrist and up his forearm. He was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. [45], During the following offseason, Leonard had surgery on his back to correct nerves being impinged by his disks. Hes great in space, a sure tackler, and he came into the league with a knack for blitzing.. [40] Leonard at the home of his in-laws. Darius Shaquille Leonard (born July 27, 1995) is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, as a redshirt junior, he got a chance to show Clemson, the national championship runner-up, what it was missing. Mock drafts: PPR | Non-PPR The team released him on, Anthony Inspired Darius To Compete In NFL. So the temptation and peer pressure was always present. My mind starts racing. "My kindergarten classmates were my graduating classmates.". By the start of his senior year, Darius was lining up at five positions: running back, wide receiver, linebacker, safety, and punter. Ain't not like putting a smile on your mother face! Every time I look at football, I look at life, I know how quick life can change, Leonard said. argument at a club in Mullins, South Carolina, in 2012. play college football at Clemson just like his brother. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday at Colts training camp, Leonard said. He attended Clemson University for his college studies and started his playing career there. Clemsons players were a class above all of the Bulldogs except for one. you can't show weakness. They had to overcome many tragedies and losses before becoming a star. ", "We knew we wanted to get married and being so far away from home, we wanted to go ahead and do it," she said. After practice, he would stay late, working alone on a deserted field for hours. Cast aside by his dream school, labeled one of the worst picks in the draft. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2023 season! It physically hurts. On October 14, 2009, Waters agreed to join the Buffalo Bills practice squad. Ive got two brothers incarcerated and one deceased. [17] On September 16, 2018, Leonard collected a season-high 19 combined tackles (15 solo) and made his first career sack on Redskins' quarterback Alex Smith during a 219 win at the Washington Redskins. When I was dirt broke, she was still right beside me. A post shared by Darius Shaquille Leonard (@mr_highflyer10). At Leonards 2018 draft party, as the family gathered in Myrtle Beach, Colts general manager Chris Ballard called Leonard early in the second round and asked, Do you want to be a Colt? Minutes later, the announcement was made on TV, and the house erupted around Leonard, whose bright smile masked what was rumbling beneath. It is safe to say that this season has not gone according to plan. "We always competed. [21] Leonard was inactive for the Colts Week 5 loss at the New England Patriots due to an ankle injury he sustained the previous week. The Indianapolis Colts made sure he gets paid like it. He played college football at South Carolina State and was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Colts. Leonard saved his best for last, as he posted career highs in total tackles (113) and sacks (812) as a senior while picking off two more passes and forcing one fumble. Ryan Kelly never saw himself as a small dog guy. Unfortunately, his younger brother, Keivonte Waters, died from a blow to the head after an argument at a club in Mullins, South Carolina, in 2012. Irsay said. Kayla means the most. Thats the kind of guy is, King says. New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen says receiving high draft grades on the team's 2023 NFL Draft class doesn't win games in April. According to Colts.com, he was the first player since Bryan Cox in 1992 to record at least 125 tackles, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles in a single season. When I lost my brother, when I didn't have anything - she was always there," said Darius. "We took a picture together and we were right beside each other. According to his LinkedIn profile, he worked as an assistant coach at the Bullis School, Potomac, Maryland, from September 2012 to January 2014. Leonard missed three of those early games in concussion protocol after an injury in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. One brother, Anthony, also played in the NFL. Similarly, his second oldest brother, Cody Waters, is in jail, awaiting trial for alleged murder. hopeful the message is able to reach those in need. Charlie is reportedly in prison for a "murder case" that happened in 1997, Leonard said, according to ESPN. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. Darius Shaquille Leonard (born July 27, 1995) is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Darius has 3 sisters and 2 brothers. In the game, Leonard recorded a team high ten tackles and an interception off Deshaun Watson in the 3023 win. Hes not going to forget about them. On June 4, 2021, Leonard welcomed daughter Laila. as host to discuss their "struggles and breakthroughs and the you're having mental health issues.". Carlos Alcaraz Brothers And Family, Jalen Hurts: Early Life, Girlfriend & Controversy, All About Nelson Agholor Girlfriend: Viviana Volpicelli. Its been 7 years since you left this crazy world and it still seems just like it was yesterday! Sign up now: It's free to play! [Clemson coach] Dabo Swinney told him after the game that they missed out on not getting him, Ford recalled. So I just asked her, 'Will you marry me?'". "I talked trash to her. Darius Leonard is an American football linebacker for the NFL team Indianapolis Colts. The rise - and rage - of The Maniac twitter comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment "She turned me down at first. "I stopped eating. When he returned home one day, Anthony recalls giving Darius a duffle bag filled with cones, resistance wires, and a speed ladder and telling him, If you want to make it, you will have to go and get it on your own.. [31] In Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans, Leonard recorded 12 tackles and sacked Ryan Tannehill twice in the 3117 loss.
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