Riley Leonard who has just come from a Notre Dame victory, didn’t just let his performance speak for itself. A fan added, “Such a sweet young man. His mom and dad should be proud,” and this shows that Leonard’s values originate from the home. The sentiment that Leonard embodies the essence of a “true ND man” was echoed by another fan who added, “You love to see it.” Riley Leonard did something unusual!

This wasn’t just another postgame routine. Another addition to Leonard’s already good night was his efforts to make the gesture genuine. Notre Dame fans, who are known for their deep connection to faith and tradition, didn’t take long to react. The verse that he chose, tells a lot about his mentality, a mentality that is required in sports to remain levelheaded despite boasts of victories and records. When Leonard shared this personal piece it was sure he was not playing to win but for something more meaningful. It was surreal to see such humility since such virtues are in line with what Notre Dame stands for.

Faith and football: fans embrace Leonard’s heartfelt gesture

After the game, he grabbed the mic during his ESPN postgame interview to share something close to his heart: Bible verse, Matthew 23:12 being his favorite. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted,” Leonard is indeed a religious man. It was thrilling and something that the fans did not expect and created an unforgettable experience. For the few, Leonard had an added merit, he was a humble man of faith and a good player at the same time.

What Leonard said next was prophetic and the audience erupted into applause for his choice of the Bible verse. Leonard “went out of his way” during the interview to show Angelo Di Carlo a passage from Matthew chapter 23 verse 12 and Angelo Di Carlo blogged this on the X. People loved the message and it was reflected in the comments while some people mentioned that they felt inspired and motivated after watching it. The interpretations of the specific verse are as follows: one fan said, “God, Country, Notre Dame”, associating the verse to the school. Another said, “Praise God,” clearly thanking Leonard for his courage to preach the Lord.

More reactions: a community rallies around their quarterback

That was not the end of the support given to Riley. It elicited applause from fans and other athletes as Leonard being a noble man from his actions. Others pointed out that it is also something that stands out in today’s trend of sports celebrities: how could Leonard be so open about his faith to give such interviews? Such remarks as “A true leader on and off the field” and “It’s rare to see someone so young be so grounded” began to appear, thus illustrating the power of empathy.

Even among people who are not fans of Notre Dame, Leonard’s act did not go unnoticed. Those fans who are from the rival school couldn’t but notice his humble behavior. ‘’I’m not even an ND fan but I respect that,’’ was one of the comments that was made regarding the actions of Leonard. Some criticized other players by referring to Leonard’s post-game moment noting that this is what sportsmanship and humility look like with one fan noting, “This is what we need more of in sports.” It’s not just about football for him—it’s about staying true to his roots and values. Over the course of the season, it’s clear that Riley Leonard has won the hearts of Notre Dame fans not just with his arm, but with his character as well.