Before getting into the details, let us first go through some quick facts. you can't show weakness. He was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. For Darius, there was always something about Kayla. Q: You lost one brothe I couldn't sleep. A post shared by Darius Shaquille Leonard (@mr_highflyer10). That's what the Colts and Red Gold have done for more than a decade - and it's something they look forward to doing for years to come. Two fierce competitors, they challenged each other in every way. importance of reaching out for help," per Battista. Your team will love these Sloppy Joes 5 Ways! If you want to know more about Darius, follow him on his Instagram and Twitter. A post shared by Darius Leonard (@mr_highflyer10) on Dec 15, 2017 at 7:01am PST. ", "I can't even put it into words how much I love that baby," said Darius. Its been 7 years since you left this crazy world and it still seems just like it was yesterday! You never know what you have until its gone, Keivonte warned, reminding Darius to cherish that relationship. He is the guy who makes everyone happy. moving past the stigma related to mental health conditions during an ", "We knew we wanted to get married and being so far away from home, we wanted to go ahead and do it," she said. A few more words, then another pause. She said yes. I believed in him.". in similar situations who may be trying to bottle up their emotions As a child Leonard looked up to and would compete with his brother Anthony Waters with hopes to one day follow in his footsteps to play football at Clemson. Kayla means the most. It made all the difference in the world, King says. They had to overcome many tragedies and losses before becoming a star. I just remember him leaning on the car, just crying, Kayla says. During the time of writing, he maintains a career stat of 61 games played, 15 sacks, 17 forced fumbles, and 549 total tackles. Keivante and Darius were born a year apart and shared a bedroom growing up. [Clemson coach] Dabo Swinney told him after the game that they missed out on not getting him, Ford recalled. Another life-changing call came when sitting in a Waffle House on a night in December 2012. But the highlight of his SCSU career came after his final home game, a 33-15 win over Hampton University. Meanwhile, Darius' football career was taking off. The phenomenon comes from an interaction between two stars one living, one dead. [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. [27], The Indianapolis Colts finished second in the AFC South with a 106 record and earned a playoff berth. "We always competed. This really happened?'". The team released him on February 26, 2009. Keivonte was being rushed to the hospital, unconscious after a fight at a club. Learn how your comment data is processed. weight. Before all of his football success, though, Leonard had to overcome a lot. Lolo Jones Sister- Brother James Jones Jr, Who Is Elisavet Tsitsipas? Darius wanted to follow his brothers path. Waller, with NBC's Carson Daly serving at your next game day gathering! You won't want to miss a moment of the 2023 season! inside," Leonard told Battista. I went by Shaquille my whole life and I understand that itll be a hard change to be called Shaquille after being called Darius for 4 years. alive," Leonard said. San Diego Chargers selected him in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. "Just the way he looks at her - it's crazy. Darius' closest sibling, Keivonte, died when Darius was in high school. We had our t-shirts from kindergarten and we signed our names right beside each other.". Leonard looks forward to celebrating that milestone, but he knows he is going to get it the same way he gets everything else: with hard work and Kaylas support. "We took a picture together and we were right beside each other. On November 11, 2017, Leonard proposed to his girlfriend Kayla, whom he had known since kindergarten, after SC State beat Hampton. Leonard attended and played high school football at Lake View High School in Lake View, South Carolina. Leonard signed a five-year, $99.25 million extension with $52.5 million guaranteed, and his family, both past and future, were at the forefont. After we greeted one another, he tucked his jewelry into his shirt. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Anthony played in the NFL for four years despite being told he would make the same mistakes as his elder brothers and get arrested. 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.. By his senior year, Darius' journey to the NFL had begun. A third brother was killed in . I'll do anything just to see, talk and hug you one more time! He's not happy to rest on that success. Make sure you put that in there," he laughed. [33][34], Following the season, he was voted into his first Pro Bowl appearance. The Colts defense went from 27th in defense-adjusted value over average in 2017 to 10th with Leonard in 2018. Gradually, they allowed more people to find out about them, but there was a cost. While Darius trained for the NFL Draft in Tampa, Kayla supported him back home working as a ninth grade algebra teacher. Leonard said he's taking on a lead role in the team's Kicking the How many siblings does Darius Leonard have? "I knew that I didn't want her to work again. Even now, on the bad days, the routine is always the same. He has been called by his middle name, Shaquille, for a long time. But his path to NFL greatness has been far from easy. "We were actually in the same class," she said. A good partner brings out the best in you. From clothes and shoes and presents to their presence - being able to give back is something the Colts take to heart. I can't wait to have a few more and give her some brothers and sisters.". Stefanos Tsitsipas Sister- Brother Petros And Pavlos, AFL: Andrew Dillion Wife Amanda: Kids And Family, Cameron Norrie Hair Transformation: Style And Color Before And After, Who Are Alvaro, Sergio And Jaime Alcaraz? 6 pick. Leonards emotions were all over the place. there is only one other way this could possibly go.". "We were all around him watching TV and he was on the phone with Chris Ballard and the family got so loud he had to tell everybody to be quiet. In the NFL, Lake View, South Carolinas Darius Leonard has created a nova. Lolo Jones Sister- Brother James Who Is Elisavet Tsitsipas? NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 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.. He was ranked as the sixth best inside linebacker prospect in the draft by NFL analyst Mel Kiper Jr. and was ranked the seventh best outside linebacker by DraftScout.com. But through it all - their love has only grown. Leonard waited and waited for a scholarship offer to come after attending football camp there before his junior and senior years. Ive got two brothers incarcerated and one deceased. As a child, Leonard and his family moved often. The big house in the middle of nowhere. 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. On March 20, 2018, Leonard participated at South Carolina State's pro day and performed the rest of his combine drills. There's no The 25-year-old South Carolina native Leonard plays aggressively, but he does it with a bounce best exemplified by his celebration after every sack (and this year, there have been a lot of them). He also said that Cody is in prison for being an accessory at a wrong place, wrong time, ESPN also reported. I love you lil ugly dude! Tears. Veteran RB Latavius Murray signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, the team announced Monday. [28], In Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans, Leonard made 10 tackles and one sack on Marcus Mariota as the Colts won 1917. "It changed our whole life, our relationship. The three times Pro Bowl winner maintains a whopping net worth of about $60- $65 million in2023. Tattooed on his forearm is the face of his companion star, Keivonte. And he knew he wanted to take Kayla with him. Five years today I was awakened from a call that I had lost not only my best friend, my partner in crime, my everything , most of all my blood brother! I let her plan everything out. Charlie is in prison for a murder case that happened in 1997, according to Leonard. Darius Leonard grew up one of nine kids in the no-stoplight, no-McDonald's town of Lake View, S.C., where the population is less than 800 and the median household income is less than $30,000.. Just days later, that relationship would be what got Leonard through Keivontes death. She never left my side through any moment; she made sure that I had absolutely anything that I needed.. The AFC South should still be relatively weak for another year (assuming the Houston Texans trade Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence doesn't take too big a leap), so the Colts could easily find themselves in the exact same position again this time next year [20] On October 4, 2018, after totaling 54 combined tackles (which led the league, and was most by a player in first four weeks of the season since 1994) and four sacks (leading all rookies) in September, Leonard was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month. State Sen. Darius Brown discuss an upcoming "safe surrender" event at a press conference at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington on Monday May 1, 2023. In Week 12 against the Tennessee Titans, Leonard recorded a team high 14 tackles and sacked Ryan Tannehill once during the 4526 loss. A second round pick by the Colts in the 2018 NFL Draft, all of Darius' dreams were coming true. He made his return in Week 7 against the Houston Texans. [25] He finished his rookie season in 2018 with 163 combined tackles (111 solo), eight pass deflections, seven sacks, and two interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts. Darius Leonard is a member of the Indianapolis Colts' football team, an American football player. Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn says it was "a tearjerker" after he received the call from his father's team in the 2023 NFL Draft. I asked her out in the sixth grade and she told me, 'No.' work many jobs simultaneously to provide for her family. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads | EU Privacy Rights | Cookie Policy | Manage Preferences. It was a matter of getting by and adapting. "That's better than keeping So far, he's doing a good job of it. extremely close took a long-term toll on his mental health. Darius closest sibling, Keivonte, died when Darius was in high school. Even though his brothers are in prison, he communicates with them frequently. In 2018, Leonard led the NFL in total tackles with 163, and in solo tackles with 111. (He somehow was not a Pro Bowl selection.) They left the hospital early the next morning, believing Keivonte was going to survive. Leonard called several schools, but the answer was the same. In his career at South Carolina State, he started all 43 games and led the team in tackles in three separate seasons. That called changed my life in so many ways! There is a diamond-studded 53 hanging from one of a few gold chains. Darius Rucker wife. INDIANAPOLIS -- It started out as a pause on the phone. Colts star Darius Leonards first two years in the league have been among the best debuts ever by a linebacker. Mind of a Maniac, by one of Leonards favorite rappers, Lil Boosie, was already part of his pregame playlist, and it remains today. "My senior day, all eyes were supposed to be on me - so it was definitely a great distraction. His NFL aspirations were alive and well. He returned to the Saints on December 9, 2009, after spending eight weeks with the Bills practice squad. We thought we knew what love was until she came," Kayla said. Leonards mother, Lynette, turned to counseling. He missed his rookie season in 2007 and played seven games for the Chargers in 2008. "We hung out that night. Thomas and Darren Leonard explained that his family has always called him Shaquille growing up. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and prime-time regular-season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand and more! When high school was over, Darius went to South Carolina State to play football. But since his Week 7 return, he leads NFL linebackers with 74 tackles. Waters, a single mother, had to work multiple jobs at once to keep food on the table and the lights on for her nine children. "That's what had been eating me It was crazy," she said. The Tigers were waiting on Leonard to qualify academically. Colts linebacker Darius Leonard said he wants to be known by his middle name, Shaquille. He was the leagues Defensive Rookie of the Year and was a named an All-Pro. After Darius junior year of high school, Keivonte left Lake View for Columbia, South Carolina, where he attended Benedict College on a basketball scholarship. In November, the Colts teamed up with Wagner Reese to kick off a monthlong celebration of events to salute and honor America's heroes. "And when she got her job, she was taking care of me. 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. It is safe to say that this season has not gone according to plan. Leonard is one of nine children to a single mother. Leonard is one of the nine children of his mother. "We got married officially a couple weeks after I got drafted," he said. We were only 1 year apart so you can guess how close we were! [8] Leonard attended the NFL Scouting Combine, but was unable to complete all of his combine drills after injuring his quadriceps while running his 40-yard dash. From $100K on his wedding to $280K on classic cars, find out everything Darius Leonard spent the first million dollars in the NFL on. He had been saving his scholarship refund checks and used a friends employee discount to buy a ring from Kay Jewelers. He played collegiate football for South Carolina State Bulldogs. He also said that Cody is in prison for being an "accessory at a wrong place, wrong time," ESPN also reported. He and his fiancee had a daughter in 2019. Leonard discussed the importance of Two of his older brothers were arrested and sentenced to life for murder. He wanted to wear my shoes out, but he wouldnt let me wear his, Leonard says. "We've got to reach that person who is sitting in Waters was often working, but she made sure Leonard knew where not to go: an area in the Lake View area known as the Hilltop. Anthony was like a role model for his younger brother, Darius. I wanted her to come up with me. and the Las Vegas Raiders' Solomon Classmates would return wearing new clothes and bragging about their gifts. In Week 17, Leonard broke the Colts franchise record for most tackles in a single season with 163, in a 3317 win vs the Tennessee Titans. INDIANAPOLIS Darius Leonard always believed he was the best linebacker in football. "We went to a party and I asked him to go with me and my friend," she said. 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. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11:00am at his church. Leonard has sadly had to overcome two of his older brothers, Charlie and Cody Waters, being in prison, according to ESPN.
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