Leo Chenal, a standout linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, mad͏e͏ a na͏me for himself͏ at ͏Wisconsin, where he became one of the top ͏football’s͏ ͏top tacklers. Kno͏wn for his relentless energy and physical ͏style, he racked up impressive stats and͏ award͏s in͏ college, leading him to declare for the 2022 ͏NFL͏ Draft ͏after his junior year͏. Dr͏a͏fted by the Chiefs, Chenal quickly ͏became an asset for Kans͏as City’s defense, known for his versatility and t͏oughness.͏

While Chenal does come from a big family, it’s not quite as massive as Andy Reid joked. Reid quipped that Chenal “got like 40 brothers and sisters,” highlighting the linebacker’s strong family values and willingness to share. In reality, Chenal has 15 siblings—a mix of full and half-siblings, with seven brothers and eight sisters. Growing up in a family this size taught qualities that have fueled his journey to the NFL.

How many siblings does Leo have?

Chenal come͏s ͏from ͏a hug͏e ͏family ͏w͏ith͏ a remar͏kable 16 children, m͏aking hi͏m the 12th oldest͏ in ͏a ͏lively, bu͏st͏ling household. ͏Leo grew up in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, a small ͏town where͏ ever͏yon͏e knows each ͏other, and his large family made ͏them qu͏ite well-known in t͏he comm͏uni͏ty. The Chenal fa͏mil͏y consists of ͏eight boys͏ and eight gi͏r͏ls, ͏evenly͏ split, ranging ͏in age fr͏o͏m 10 t͏o 37 years old, with a whopp͏ing͏ 27 years ͏between t͏he eldest and youngest sibling.

In this big family dynamic, Leo learned early on to stand out and be competitive. His mother, Brenda, recalls the dinner table as a survival game where “whoever gets there first, eats.” Growing up with seven full siblings and eight half-siblings taught Leo toughness, and a knack for handling challenges. His mother believes that a big family has helped mold them: “A large family basically trains you… in dealing with so many different personalities, and so many issues, you learn what to do and what not to do because you’re stuck with each other, right?”

With siblings constantly around, Leo’s competitiveness grew. He’d often be found roughhousing with his brothers, sparking wrestling matches in the living room that sometimes left behind broken furniture or bloodied noses. It was all in good fun, though, as the Chenals were raised to have each other’s backs. Brenda shared that having so many siblings to rely on builds a deep sense of loyalty and support: “We have each other’s back,” Leo noted, expressing how these sibling bonds have shaped him, both on and off the field.

Is John Chenal related to Leo?

Yes, John Chenal is not only related to Leo but is his older brother and also his biggest rival on the field. The two brothers share a deep bond and intense competitive streak, pushing each other to be better athletes and teammates. John, a fullback for the Wisconsin Badgers, and Leo, a linebacker, have always competed in everything, from driveway basketball to the infamous “Badger Drill” (also known as the Nutcracker), where they faced off in one-on-one strength battles during football practice. The two would repeatedly take each other on, just to see who would finally come out on top.

Their rivalry isn’t limited to football. At home, the Chenal brothers would play countless rounds of ping-pong because “the right guy didn’t win,” according to Leo. Even off the field, they challenge each other’s achievements; for instance, when Leo posted a video of himself benching 225 pounds 32 times, John promised he’d outdo him by aiming for 33 reps. Brenda affectionately calls their sibling dynamic “one-up, one-up, just constant competition.”

Despite the competition, there’s also immense respect between them. John admires Leo’s “grit and determination,” describing how his brother powers through obstacles with pure toughness. Leo, in turn, values John’s natural leadership and charisma, noting that “people want to follow him.” Together, they bring out the best in each other—both as athletes and as family members.

For the Chenal brothers, being on the same team has deepened their bond, reinforcing that they’re not just teammates but also brothers who’ll always have each other’s backs.