Since entering the NFL in 2018, Leonard ranks at the top of the league in numerous defensive categories among linebackers, including total tackles (eighth), solo tackles (ninth), interceptions (first), forced fumbles (second) and 10-tackle games (25, fourth). He registered 100 total tackles in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. Since 1985, Leonard is just the fifth player in franchise history to accomplish that feat and only the second player to do so in their first four seasons in the league.
In the community, Leonard has dedicated himself to giving back to his hometown of Lake View, S.C. and Indianapolis. In 2022, he donated $38,484 to renovate Hilltop Park in Lake View, and hosted a football camp for 200 kids at the park. To kick off the new school year, Leonard did a backpack giveaway that benefited around 380 students at Lake View Elementary. At Lake View High School, he donated $56,500 to improve the football field. Leonard also contributed $3,511 towards Coats for Kids and provided $3,500 in Thanksgiving turkeys for his hometown.
In 2020, Leonard and his wife, Kayla, launched the Maniac Foundation, which is dedicated to transforming communities through education, wellness programs, serving families in need and other charitable causes. His deep knowledge of the Lake View and Indianapolis communities, and the people who make up those communities has allowed the Maniac Foundation to have an extensive reach.
In its first year, the Maniac Foundation provided over $100,000 in grants, educational materials and resources to the Lake View and Indianapolis communities. At their inaugural event, they raised over $680,000, which went directly to programs and initiatives throughout the Lake View and Indianapolis communities that support the Maniac Foundation’s mission statement.
Leonard is an outspoken advocate for the Irsay family and Colts’ “Kicking the Stigma” initiative, which is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health disorders and to remove the shame and stigma too often associated with these illnesses. He shares his own mental health experiences in videos, PSAs and roundtable discussions. Leonard launched a mental health hotline through the Maniac Foundation in April 2022 that provides a monthly motivational message from Leonard and readily available resources to those facing mental health challenges.
