Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard Quotes Powerful Bible Verse on National TV
Michael Foust
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By Michael Foust, Crosswalk.com
The star quarterback who led Notre Dame to an upset win at Texas A&M Saturday went out of his way during a postgame TV interview to quote a Bible verse and to show the audience his Scripture-inscribed wristband.
Riley Leonard, an offseason transfer from Duke, completed 18 of 30 passes for 158 yards to lead the Fighting Irish to a 23-13 upset win at A&M, which was favored entering the game. Leonard also rushed for 63 yards.
During a postgame interview on ESPN, Leonard pointed at his wristband, which includes a Bible verse.
"My favorite verse, Matthew 23:12 -- 'Those who exalt themselves will be humbled. Those who humble themselves will be exalted.' So it's a verse that I carry with me every single day," Leonard said.
For those who saw my post and were wondering what Riley was representing this was it: those who humble themselves will be exalted by the Lord. Matt 23:12 https://t.co/D9NZMGUBry
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) September 2, 2024
His faith-centric comments drew the attention of former NFL coach Tony Dungy, a professing Christian.
"I love it, Riley. Keep representing!" Dungy wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Leonard demonstrated humility during the rest of the ESPN interview.
"I'm the one on the mic right now, but if anybody watched the game, I shouldn't be," he said.
Leonard is one of five captains on the team -- an honor earned from a team vote.
"I don't talk about myself too much, but it is the greatest honor of my life," he said. "... But everybody on this team is a leader. It's not just me, and it's not just the guys with Cs on their chest."
It was the fourth-largest crowd ever at Texas A&M, with 107,315 in attendance.
"Unreal crowd -- like this place is something every kid dreams of," Leonard said. "You just look up and can't even see the end of the stands. It's an incredible place to be. God bless this football team."
Riley Leonard is full of joy and humility during his post-game interview. Love the recognition he gives his teammates. This is Notre Dame! #NotreDame #RileyLeonard #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/7cT0QJfF8d
— Brandon Tabor (@btabe) September 1, 2024
Leonard's Instagram bio also references his faith, reading: "No God - No Peace. Know God - Know Peace."
He grew up in Fairhope, Ala.
"Every single person in that city that I came into contact with helped me with my faith. I'm able to bring that here," he told the Irish Tribune. "Obviously, that's the most important thing in my life. When I go to bed at night, I'm not thinking, 'How many touchdown passes did I throw?' 'Did we win or lose?' I'm thinking, 'Did I better my relationship with Jesus Christ? Did I treat my girlfriend with respect? Did I call my parents?'"
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Jack Gorman/Stringer
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
