Quarterback Riley Leonard’s father was a Division 1 basketball player.
Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard was forced to briefly leave the Orange Bowl late in the second quarter after he was driven to the ground.
Highlights
- Riley returned in the 2nd quarter half after leaving the game due to an injury before halftime.
- He was born to his father, Chad Leonard, and his mother, Heather Leonard.
- Leonard grew up with his two brothers, Cole and Devin Leonard.
Leonard got hit as he threw the ball, and the back of his head hit the turf.
When he got up, he was a bit shaky. An official immediately noticed this and signaled for Leonard to be checked out on the sideline.
The QB was immediately escorted into Notre Dame’s medical tent.
Steve Angeli replaced Leonard when the Irish trailed 10-0. However, Leonard returned at the start of the third quarter after being evaluated for a concussion.
According to a sideline report from ESPN, he was “asymptomatic” and cleared to return.
His exit came as Notre Dame offensive lineman Rocco Spindler was treated by training staff.
Leonard was 6-of-11 passing for 43 yards and an interception before the hit.
On Notre Dame’s first drive of the 3rd quarter, Leonard led the team down the field and capped the drive off with a TD run to tie the game at 10-10.
Riley Leonards’s Parents Have Always Been There For Him In Every Step Of The Way
Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB Riley Leonard, 22, was born on September 13, 2002, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, United States, to his father, Chad Leonard, and his mother, Heather Leonard.
His parents have supported him strongly through his basketball and football careers. During one of the interview, Riley said,
“My parents, Chad and Heather, have been there for us every step of the way, and I’ll always be grateful for the sacrifices they’ve made for me over the years,”
Riley Leonard
Riley’s father played college basketball for The Citadel Bulldogs under coach Pat Dennis from 1992 to 1995.
During his career with The Citadel, Chad played in 79 total games, averaging 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
He even became the school’s all-time leader in steals. After his college basketball career ended, Chad was a gold professional for Rivertown Country Club and Patriots Points.
However, Riley’s father is not the only basketball player in his family. His uncle, Michael Sabol, played basketball at Georgetown University (1990-91).
Moreover, Riley’s great-grandfather, James E. Curran, played for Notre Dame in the 1940s.
When Leonard entered the Notre Dame portal, Marcus Freeman and his staff used his great-grandfather’s history to motivate him.
On the other hand, his mother, Heather Leonard, graduated from Georgetown Visitation, an all-girls high school in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Later, she attended St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia before transferring and graduating with a degree in special education from The College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C.
Before marriage, she was the director of education at the Sylvan Learning Center. She spends much of her time attending her son’s sporting events. She said,
. “I never would have dreamed that I would have had three sons, but I love everything about it,” “All three of my sons are very involved in sports. They play football and soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring.”
Heather Leonard
In an ESPN video, Riley said that before every football game, his mother texts him, “You Suck.” He added,
“It started in high school, I was tired of everybody telling me how good I was all the time. I needed someone to tell me I suck every once in a while to give me some motivation.”
Riley Leonard
It sounds foolish and funny, but it motivates the player the most.
For the first time, when the QB asked his mother to say these words, she felt happy and obliged, and since then, she has made sure she let him know that he sucks before every game.
Riley grew up playing every sport possible with his brothers, Cole and Devin, including basketball, fishing, football, and many more.
However, his brother has managed to keep themselves away from social media.
Additional Information
- College football star Riley Leonard and his long-time girlfriend Molly Walding are high school sweethearts.
- Riley has an estimated net worth of around $1.1 million as of 2025.
- He played basketball in high school and received offers to play college basketball from programs such as St. Mary’s, North Alabama, Samford, and Missouri State.
