Skip to content He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease: Developing the Humility to Deflect the Glory with Former College Football Superstar & Upcoming NFL Draft Pick, Riley Leonard, Ep. 225 Apr 3 · 40 min ...more
He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease: Developing the Humility to Deflect the Glory with Former College Football Superstar & Upcoming NFL Draft Pick, Riley Leonard, Ep. 225
April 3, 2025 · 40 min
Joining us today on the podcast from a conversation Zach was able to have with our guest at the most recent Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend is Former Duke and Notre Dame star Quarterback, Riley Leonard. In and throughout this conversation, Riley shares authentically about his upbringing, collegiate career, and journey of faith. Yes, he’s accumulated countless accolades throughout his career, but what Riley appreciates and values more than anything else are the opportunities the Lord has blessed him with to express his faith, particularly during interviews and after games, thanking the Lord win, lose, or draw and always deflecting the honor, glory, and praise to the Only One worthy of those things. This is a clarion call and challenge to each and every one of us to continually grow in our humility as we seek to serve those around us no matter the vocation we have been called to. Our hope and prayer is that you would join us in praying for Riley and all that God will continue to do in and through his life and leadership. Riley’s Website: https://officialrileyleonard.com/posts/riley-leonard-my-story/ Follow Riley on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/riley.jleonard/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Series The Built Different Podcast with Zach Clinton
M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, doctoral student in Clinical Psychology. Host of ‘The Built Different Podcast’ with guests like Kirk Cousins, Albert
April 3, 2025 · 40 min · The Built Different Podcast with Zach Clinton
Joining us today on the podcast from a conversation Zach was able to have with our guest at the most recent Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend is Former Duke and Notre Dame star Quarterback, Riley Leonard. In and throughout this conversation, Riley shares authentically about his upbringing, collegiate career, and journey of faith. Yes, he’s accumulated countless accolades throughout his career, but what Riley appreciates and values more than anything else are the opportunities the Lord has blessed him with to express his faith, particularly during interviews and after games, thanking the Lord win, lose, or draw and always deflecting the honor, glory, and praise to the Only One worthy of those things. This is a clarion call and challenge to each and every one of us to continually grow in our humility as we seek to serve those around us no matter the vocation we have been called to. Our hope and prayer is that you would join us in praying for Riley and all that God will continue to do in and through his life and leadership. Riley’s Website: https://officialrileyleonard.com/posts/riley-leonard-my-story/ Follow Riley on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/riley.jleonard/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. ...more Show the full description Show less Joining us today on the podcast from a conversation Zach was able to have with our guest at the most recent Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend is Former Duke and Notre Dame star Quarterback, Riley Leonard. In and throughout this conversation, Riley shares authentically about his upbringing, collegiate career, and journey of faith. Yes, he’s accumulated countless accolades throughout his career, but what Riley appreciates and values more than anything else are the opportunities the Lord has blessed him with to express his faith, particularly during interviews and after games, thanking the Lord win, lose, or draw and always deflecting the honor, glory, and praise to the Only One worthy of those things. This is a clarion call and challenge to each and every one of us to continually grow in our humility as we seek to serve those around us no matter the vocation we have been called to. Our hope and prayer is that you would join us in praying for Riley and all that God will continue to do in and through his life and leadership. Riley’s Website: https://officialrileyleonard.com/posts/riley-leonard-my-story/ Follow Riley on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/riley.jleonard/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Series The Built Different Podcast with Zach Clinton
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0:02 Life audio. Build different is a production of the American Association of Christian Counselors. To support this podcast and learn how you can help us to promote all our biblical content, spread the gospel, gospel, and0:12 provide mental health resources and training to people everywhere, just go to a a c c foundation dot o r g. Again, that's a a c c foundation dot org.0:23 Have you ever felt like you're behind in life? Like you should be further along or that things don't turn out the way that you hoped? Tanner Olsen's new book, Getting Through What You're Going Through, is a reminder that0:35 you're not behind. You're right where you're meant to be. This heartfelt collection of over 100 poems and reflections invites you to slow down, breathe, and find hope in life's0:47 ordinary moments, a warm cup of coffee, a walk with a friend, even a simple pancake. Tanner reminds us that God is present in both the highs and the lows and that hope is0:59 always within reach. Preorder your copy of Getting Through What You're Going Through Wherever Books Are Sold.1:10 Marriage was never meant to be effortless, but it was meant to endure. Tried and True is a scripture centered marriage guide for couples who want a marriage shaped by faith, not perfection. I'm1:21 Dana Shay, the author. In this book, I explore 12 imperfect biblical marriages, stories marked by struggle, waiting, failure, and restoration. Rather than1:33 offering quick fixes, tried and true helps couples to understand how spiritual intimacy and emotional connection grow through hardship, not the absence of it. With biblical1:44 insight, reflection, and guided conversation, this book meets couples in the long middle of marriage and points them toward lasting hope. Available now at tried and true marriage book
1:56 dot com or find tried and true everywhere books are sold.
2:08 Welcome to Built Different. I'm Zach Clinton, your host. And each week, I come to you exclusively on the Life Audio Podcast Network. I'm proud to partner with Life Audio and bring you entertaining, life changing, family
2:18 friendly podcast for a new generation. At Build Different, our mission is to provide encouragement, hope, and challenge to help push you past your limits and reach goals you never thought possible. Colossians 2 verse 6
2:29 says, so then just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him. Amen? Now let's roll.
2:44 What's going on everybody? And welcome back in to another edition of the Built Different podcast. I'll be your host, Zach Clinton. And as always, I hope and pray each and every 1 of you are having a great week. You know
2:53 what? If you're not, if it's been a down week, I hope and pray that today's conversation would simply be a spark of hope, encouragement, and motivation and in through your life. But if you are having a great week, I hope
3:03 and pray that it would make it that much better. Today's conversation actually stems from our most recent Ignite Men's Impact weekend that took place March seventh and eighth right here in Lynchburg, Virginia, Thomas
3:13 Road Baptist Church. A sold out packed out crowd of over 5000 men gathered together to grow in relationship with God and in community with 1 another. Our theme this year was Galatians 5 1. It is for freedom that
3:25 Christ has set us free. I believe that chains were broken because so many men not only had a great experience there, but man, they had a real encounter with the 1 true and living God. The God
3:37 who is known as the chain breaker. My friends, if you haven't joined us at an event in the past, especially in Ignite Men's Impact weekend, I would encourage you to check it out. Just go to ignite men dot
3:48 net. Something special happens when the fellas get together. So many incredible guests were there to join us that weekend. I think of Joe Theisman. I think of Kirk Cousins, pastor Tim Timberlake,
4:00 doctor Rick Rigsby, Joshua Broome, Garrett Uncle Bob, Granger Smith, Ben Fuller in concert, Michael O'Brien led us in praise and worship all weekend long. God showed up again in powerful, powerful ways.
4:12 But also a special guest that is also joining us today as we're re airing that conversation that we had live in person on the stage at Ignite is someone that many of you know and love. You love his humility. You love his
4:24 character. You love his integrity. You also root for him on the gridiron. Whether you're a Duke Blue Devil fan or a Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan, you know this guy. He was your beloved quarterback. His name is mister
4:36 Riley Leonard. After taking the Fighting Irish all the way to the national championship game and having an unbelievable senior year, now somebody who's competed in the NFL Combine. He's had their Notre Dame Pro Day. He's
4:47 been in the senior bowl. This is a guy who is preparing for the next level. No matter when he gets drafted, no matter what the NFL might look like for him, no matter what team he goes to. 1 thing we know about Riley
4:57 Leonard is that he has a great amount of humility. He's not accepting any of the honor, glory, or praise, but he's always trying to deflect it onto the only 1 worthy of those things being the Lord himself. But also, this
5:09 is a guy, man, who it doesn't matter where he goes. He always makes it a priority again to platform the good news of the gospel with whatever opportunity the Lord continues to entrust
5:21 to his path and to his journey. Let us all pray alongside of him that God would continue to do a mighty work in and through his life. Today's conversation is a very real and vulnerable 1. He's gonna tell you
5:33 what that process has looked like for him. He's gonna walk us through some of the journey, some of his upbringing, some of the things and the people that have shaped him into the man that he is today. But also, we're
5:41 gonna dive into what godly humility looks like as he challenges us, as he encourages us, as he motivates us to continue to live a life worthy of the cause of Christ. That being said, let's go
5:53 to the interview now and be joined by our very special guest, mister Riley Leonard. Help me give a warm rounding Ignite welcome to my dear friend, mister Riley Leonard.
6:06 Alright. Is it working? Come on. Thank y'all. Thank y'all. Thank you for having me.
6:12 Riley, obviously, you have played in stadiums. You have played all over the country with hundreds of thousands of fans, millions of viewers. But to be in a room like
6:24 this with 5000 dudes who are just hungry for the gospel, they're hungry to learn what it means to be trained in righteousness. What is, I mean, this atmosphere, like, mean to you?
6:34 Yeah. I mean, like, there's no better place to be than right here. I mean, to be honest with you guys, I'm not a public speaker. Alright? I'm the I'm a quarterback, and the Lord gave me a platform. So who am I to not
6:46 share the gospel and do everything I can to glorify him? So like I said, if I stutter, if I go on if I go on a tangent about something, I don't know how this
6:58 day is gonna go, but y'all just bear with me. Hopefully, you take away something from this. So thank you all again for having me.
7:04 Hey, I'm gonna I'm gonna toss some softballs up to you, my friend. Hey, but upfront, there's no doubt that it has been an unbelievable year for you. God has done something magnificent in and through your heart, but
7:15 magnificent in and through your journey and your story as a quarterback. Right? Obviously, change of scenery going to Notre Dame but what a run. The playoff run. I mean, you guys knocked off Indiana, Georgia,
7:27 Penn State all the way to the national championship against OSU. God, it did something special through you. Career highs all across the board. I'm going to read some stats. Okay? Because I know he won't. He's too humble.
7:38 2 69 passes, 4 0 3 attempts for career high 66.7 percent completion percentage, 2806 hundred 1, 61 yards, career high, 21 touchdowns. You ran 184 times,
7:50 906 yards, 17 touchdowns, all career highs. Riley, beyond the change of scenery, the change in uniform, what changed within the man this year?
8:00 Yeah. Obviously, went through a lot this year. Number 1, entering the transfer portal, which is very normal now. Terrible feeling. I hated being in the the transfer portal because
8:12 I'm a loyal guy, and I like to think of myself as a loyal guy. So I saw a couple of Duke hats, so I apologize for for leaving Duke. But I think the biggest thing that changed within me was my environment. Going to Notre
8:23 Dame, I surrounded myself with not that there weren't a Duke, but just godly Christian men who grew me and my faith. Like, every single day I walked into the locker room, they were the ones growing me. So, like, we went
8:34 I I had a lot of adversity this year, and we'll get into that throughout this, you know, speech. But, yeah, it it I think the biggest thing was just my environment, who I surround myself with.
8:44 What I love to do is kind of as we move forward, I want to take a second to look backward. Right? Obviously, this this man that has developed over time in his faith, in his resilience,
8:56 that wasn't just born. That was something that was cultivated. That was something that was made. I want to go back to obviously growing up. You're born in South Carolina but grew up in Fairhope, Alabama. You grew up as a
9:07 middle child, older brother, younger brother. I'm sure things are probably rowdy in the Leonard household. Speak to just what that was like with your brothers growing up, but also the influence and the impact your mom
9:19 and dad had on you from a
9:20 very young age. Yeah. So, obviously, it's great to have 2 brothers growing up, and we would do everything together. And then my mom and dad had a huge impact on my life. And I know a lot of people get up here and they
9:31 they share their testimonies. Right? And I don't know whether mine's a good 1 or a bad 1, but every testimony to me is a great 1. So, like, whether you found Christ at the age of 40, you know, in in your
9:42 backyard or you went through 40 years of trials and tribulations or you were born in a Christian family household, like, there's there's no such thing as a bad testimony. So the way that thank you. So,
9:54 like, just know that, like, mine's a little different, but I didn't grow up in a a Christian household. We didn't you know, we would we were the traditional, you know, Christmas. Why do you celebrate Christmas? Jesus'
10:06 birthday. But we weren't true Christians. And I remember all my life, all I had wanted to do was be the the the man in high school. I was the in my freshman year, I walked
10:18 into high school and I was, you know, on the varsity football, varsity basketball team, and I'm poking my chest out. Look. Look how cool I am. My mom would drop me off at high school every day and I'd walk into school
10:27 and for about a week, I was like, man, this is really cool. And then after that, I'm thinking like, dang, this is it? Like, this is everything I ever dreamed of and I'm still missing like a huge part of my life? Like,
10:38 that's 1 thing I can offer you guys is perspective because I've been, you know, blessed in high school, and then I'm playing in front of millions of people playing in the national championship game. And even all that,
10:48 I'm still feeling empty at times. Like, I walked out the field against Ohio State in the national championship game, and walking out of a baptism that 1 of my closest family members had means more to
11:00 me and is more more fulfilling to me than playing in the national football, like, championship. Like, legit. And if y'all don't believe me, I I don't know what to tell you, but, you know,
11:12 Kirk obviously is coming up here next, and he'll probably tell you the same thing. But pretty much in high school, I wasn't a Christian, and then met my girlfriend who I'm still with. 7 and a half years, we're going
11:23 strong, and, she took me to church. Yeah. She took me to church for the first time. And, luckily then, my high school football coach, high school basketball coach, and principal all poured into me at the same time. So
11:35 it's really an act of God just, you know, using me. And ever since then, I took Christianity and and and ran with it. But I also wanna tell you guys, like, I'm so incomplete right now too. Like, I know I'm on
11:46 stage and you guys are looking at me right now. Like, I want there to be a mirror here that's reflecting up to the Lord. Like, don't look at me as the example, please. Like, I try my best to to live like Jesus every
11:57 single day, but I'll tell you what, I'm no better than anybody sitting in this room. And, I have a lot of things that I I need to work on in my faith as well, but, you know, I'm I'm confronting that every day and facing
12:08 them. So
12:09 I'm gonna stop this right there and jump in to say, you're listening to Built Different. I'm Zach Clinton. We need to break for a brief message from our sponsors. I'll be back with our guests to keep the conversation
12:18 flowing right after this. You're listening to Life Audio.
12:23 Have you ever felt like you're behind in life? Like you should be further along or that things don't turn out the way that you hoped? Tanner Olsen's new book, Getting Through What You're Going Through, is a reminder that
12:35 you're not behind. You're right where you're meant to be. This heartfelt collection of over 100 poems and reflections invites you to slow down, breathe, and find hope in life's
12:47 ordinary moments, a warm cup of coffee, a walk with a friend, even a simple pancake. Tanner reminds us that God is present in both the highs and the lows and that hope is
12:58 always within reach. Preorder your copy of Getting Through What You're Going Through Wherever Books Are Sold.
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13:40 I love that you just mentioned Riley is that we all have this this god shaped hole in our heart that only he can fulfill, that only he can really speak into, that only he can bring that level of
13:51 satisfaction that sometimes we reach for through sports. Sometimes, we reach for through other idols that might bring us temporary or counterfeit relief but god is the only 1 that can fill us with the hope that you are
14:03 now living with. I want to go back because we're going to talk about the hardships and all of those things that you've navigated even throughout the last year or so But I do want to touch on your brothers because I know
14:12 I've done my research on you. I've read a couple articles on you. There was 1 particular article where you said out of all the memories, right? You guys are really close. You guys lived in like the same bedroom. You had
14:22 some empty vacant bedrooms in your house because all 3 boys wanted to sleep in the same bedroom, right, growing up. Best of friends. But out of all the memories, the 1 that stuck out to you the most is the day that you
14:33 started digging. Go ahead and tell us that story.
14:36 I mean, it's pretty much what y'all think. Me and my brother just grabbed our shovels, we like to dig holes. So we took our hole in the backyard, didn't ask mom,
14:48 probably should have, but it's better to what is it? Ask for forgiveness afterwards. But anyways, we started digging and we we dug for we dug that hole for, like, years. And, you know, it's so
14:59 random. It's so random. Wrote, like, an article about it. But, yeah, we didn't know, you know, what we're gonna find, but we thought we were gonna dig to China. So we're just gonna keep on digging. And and, like, it's
15:09 little things like that that, like, grow you to the person you are today. So I used it when we when we lost to NIU this year, which we'll get into a little bit. But, yeah, just kept digging.
15:21 You just kept digging. What I love about that because you really tied it back to the Teddy Roosevelt speech. Right? The man in the arena speech. And that you believed that you were digging for a purpose. You believed
15:32 that you were going somewhere. And God was clearly taking you somewhere, Riley. I mean, in high school, like you mentioned, you you did incredible things not just as a football player, ton of accolades. I could let
15:43 rattle them off but also as a basketball player here for a second. I want to ask just a fun question. Why football over basketball? Because, dude, you can ball. I I've watched some videos on you. Why football?
15:55 That's a good question. I kinda wish, you know, sometimes I was still in the gym, but I miss basketball a lot, but I think I just love the quarterback position and the team aspect of playing the game of
16:07 football. You know, being able to compete out on the football field is kinda different than any other sport in my opinion, and a lot of my competitiveness kinda comes from our relationship with the Lord. I mean, in first
16:17 Corinthians 9 24, the lord says, like, if you're gonna run, run to win. And I think there's no better example of that than football. Like, it's a team sport, and and and a lot of people mistake Jesus as, like, a softer
16:29 guy. But when I read that verse, like, he Jesus was a savage. Like, he was going into the worst places and getting his hands dirty and competing the competing against everybody to, you know, spread
16:41 the gospel. So, like, that's my thing. Like, I'm gonna go y'all see if you see me play, like, I don't play very smart. I don't play smart at all. Joe Theismann was here last
16:53 year. He played at Notre Dame. And before I could even introduce myself, he was telling me how to slide. And yeah. I it's still it yeah. I'm I'm over here trying to do flips over people
17:05 laying on my neck. So, anyways, I don't even know where I'm going with that, but I'm very competitive and so is Jesus. So put it that way.
17:12 I love that. Riley Leonard and Jesus Christ. 2 competitors right there, baby. Come on. Riley, as you make the choice, God opens the door, tons of different offers, but you make the
17:24 choice to go to Duke. And I'm interested upfront too. Why Duke? And what was it that God was really revealing to you in those seasons? Because I'll walk through some of them and how you guys really transformed the
17:35 program. But what were some lessons that God taught you at Duke?
17:38 Yeah. So I I pretty much picked Duke because I didn't have another option. They're 1 of the only offers I had. So the I remember sitting there, and I was like like, wondering when I can commit. And I would tell I'll call
17:49 the coach and be like, hey. Can I commit? And he'd like, hold off. Hold off. And I'd see on social media, like, the quarterback they wanted, like, committed somewhere else. That happened, like, 6 times. And then I was
17:57 like, coach, like, take me. So they took me, and I got I got there. So first year we got there, I I went 3 and 9. I had my first start against Virginia
18:09 Tech, which I'm sure there are some Virginia Tech fans in the house. BT. Yeah. You guys smoked us. I probably had I probably went, like, 5 for 25, you know, 2 picks, got benched at
18:20 halftime, awful experience. But we went that year, and then I went into my sophomore year. And and going into my sophomore year, we went we went 9 and 4 that year. So we flipped
18:32 that program from 3 to 9 to 9 and 4. And everybody asked me, like, how'd y'all do it? And honestly, Kung Fu Panda quote, like, the secret is there is no secret. Like, the secret's in the work. So
18:44 just went in every single day, like, with a chip on our shoulder. We did the little things right and, yeah, flipped that program around. But I think, you know, a a lot of it, obviously, you can't do by yourself. So
18:57 strengthening my relationship with the Lord, you know, is is kind of what got us there as well.
19:01 Absolutely. I love that idea that there's no secret to success. Right? It is revealed for everyone to see. And those that want it a little bit more just are going to work a little bit harder. Like you said, the
19:13 proof's in the pudding. It's being able to put forth that effort each and every day. That's why what I love about this event is to get everybody to gather together. And sometimes I believe this, that we can experience
19:23 almost like a spiritual high where we come and we get so excited and it feels natural. But it's being able to walk away from this place with the level of intentionality to hold on to the habits, to hold on to the
19:34 thoughts, to hold on to the freedom that we experience at this event, right? It takes intentionality. You go from your sophomore season where you really begin to turn things around. And then you find
19:46 yourself in the junior year. And I've heard you even say in some interviews that to be honest with you, it was pretty underwhelming. There were a lot of expectations on you and the team. There were some high highs. You
19:56 guys took out Clemson at home. That was a big game for you. Then there were some injuries, and there were some low lows. What did you learn in the midst of those unmet expectations and the hardships that year?
20:06 Yeah. So going into my junior season, I was the, I think, third highest rated quarterback in the country behind Caleb Williams and Drake May. And, there were a lot of people projecting
20:18 me to go first round before the season even starts. And we go in there, we beat Clemson game 1. And week 5 comes around, and I'm playing Notre Dame. We're undefeated. First time Duke had college game day at
20:30 Duke. And last play of the game, Howard Cross, my future teammate, lands on my leg and pretty much breaks my leg. And, you know, that was a a moment that I needed in
20:42 my life because there were times where before that junior season, I would walk into a restaurant and somebody would notice me. And and for a second there, I'd I'd think that I was somebody. And, you know, I'd tell
20:53 myself, oh, man. Like, look. I'm so I'm so cool. Look at me. Look at me. Like, I'm on these draft fours. I'm gonna go to the NFL. Like, I needed that humbling experience. So not only did I get injured then, I got injured
21:03 a few games later and had 3 surgeries this off season. And, probably the biggest thing that I learned throughout all that, you know, I was out for, like, 7 months is, like, the devil doesn't have to tempt you when you're
21:15 already heading in his direction. So when something bad happens in your life, consider it a blessing. Consider consider you being on the right path to the Lord, and the devil's trying to knock at you and get you to turn
21:27 to him. So whenever them surgeries came around, was supposed to only have 1 surgery. Boom. The second surgery came around. Like, that's that's the devil trying to tempt me. So, like, I just told myself, I'm I'm I'm
21:38 heading in the right direction if he's still trying to pull at me. So that's probably the biggest lesson I learned was, like, whenever something bad happens, good. You know? If if if if if you're doing bad things and
21:48 you're not close with the Lord and your life's going really good, that's because the devil's just, you know, giving you all these things, man. So, yeah, whenever something bad happens,
21:58 tell yourself good. I like that. That's that like that Jocko will link mindset. And Mhmm. It's that idea, something I shared with you guys last night that the pathway to hell is the comfortable 1, right? It's the gradual
22:10 slope, the soft under footing, the 1 that doesn't have many turns. It doesn't have any signposts. It's that ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship, right? Being able to understand that man,
22:22 when we suffer, god can do something in and through us. Romans 5 talks about that that we can glory in our suffering because our suffering produces perseverance. Our perseverance produces character. Our character
22:33 produces hope. God is clearly doing a work on your heart and during that season, Riley. He's humbling you. He's teaching you to kind of get out of his way. And then like you said, I want to go back to this moment
22:45 because the transfer portal is just crazy in college athletics. It provides opportunity for guys to just go and to go to different places. But God, I believe, really hand selected you and handpicked
22:56 you to go to Notre Dame. I mean, head coach, coach Freeman, he is a man who has had incredible impact and influence on countless lives. I would just be remiss not to ask the impact he's had on your life and what it
23:08 meant to you to experience this last year at Notre Dame.
23:11 Yeah. Yeah. Coach Freeman, who many of you guys know, everything you see is real. To give you a few examples of kind of the man he is. Number 1, he knows every janitor's name in the facility and treats them
23:23 no differently than any other person. Number 2, I remember when he was recruiting me at I sent him a 3 hour podcast on Tom Brady, 3 and a half hours later, he had watched the entire thing and was ready to talk about it.
23:35 So to play for a man like that really means a lot to me. Like I said, after we played NIU and lost to NIU, which was a, you know, unacceptable loss there.
23:49 I played terrible. That was complete my fault. We lost too. And I remember walking in the next day, and I was like, yo. Like, anything can happen. I'm about to get benched. Like, this is gonna stink. And
24:01 he's got his feet kicked up. He's like, what's up, Ray? And he just he, like, throws me a candy bar and just wants to talk about life and talk about the Lord and how I'm gonna be thankful for this. And I told him, like,
24:10 there's no way I'm ever gonna be thankful for this. Like, this is the worst moment of my life. Week 2, like, it was awful. I was going to school the next day in a black hoodie. Like, you know, I was
24:22 it was a terrible experience for me. But but because of him and because of, like, his just, like, devout straight narrow path to the Lord and nothing was gonna unfaith unfaze him from the Lord that, like, he
24:34 was able to share that with me. And, man, him and him and the Lord really kinda just pushed me through that dark time.
24:41 As God is continuing just to prune the man that you are today. I think I told you backstage. I've said it as I was introducing him. A word that comes to mind when I think of Riley Leonard is
24:53 humility. You wear wristbands during games and a lot of it's caught a lot of people's attention. 1 of them though that you typically would wear is Matthew 2312. Whoever exalts himself will be
25:05 humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. I heard a pastor say that you're the most humble kid he's ever met. I even heard you say, I don't think I'm really deserving of the platform that God has
25:17 given me, but Jesus put me here, so I'm going to do everything I can to boast his name. Riley, speak to where does this humility come from within you, man?
25:26 Yeah. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I got some imposter syndrome for for many of you who don't know what that is. It's like, you know, am I really supposed to be here? So I'm I'm I'm still, you know, trying to
25:37 figure that out. But Matthew 23 12, those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted. Really just stood out to me. And to be honest with you guys, like, I'm in a period right
25:48 now to where that verse is, like, really tricky for me. So, like, I got done playing in the national championship, played in the senior bowl. But right now, I'm having to do all this draft prep stuff, and I'm meeting
26:00 with these NFL teams. And my job, right, in a way is to exalt myself to them and tell them, you know, my strengths and why they should draft me. And it's really hard to walk out of
26:12 a meeting with an NFL GM head coach and 10 other coaches in there having just told them how great I am and and and and to wear that on my wrist as well. So I'm trying to find the
26:23 balancing act between that. So if you guys can pray for me and and and just to keep my humility, that would that would mean a lot to me. Yeah. Thank you all. Thank you. Because,
26:36 you know, like I said, right now is a tricky time for me, and it's a balancing act that I'm trying to figure out for sure.
26:44 Your life speaks louder than your lips. That's what I was always told from a very young age. And I feel like you are walking out what humility really means. I was telling you back there how much I
26:55 appreciated, you know, after a tough loss or after you were probably exhausted from so many of these, you know, college football playoff games, you were always professing and testifying to the good news of the
27:07 gospel. There was even 1 moment. I don't know if some of you guys saw it. It went viral all over social media. The lights were turning off. You know, the press was walking away and Riley caught everybody in a moment and
27:17 was like, hold on. Like, turn the lights back on. I have 1 more word. And you just presented the gospel. Speak to that for a moment.
27:25 You know, I don't know if it was me. I think the Lord presented the gospel and Come on. He presented it through me.
27:30 I love that.
27:30 Yeah. I really believe that. I really believe that. And and everybody looks to us athletes in these times when we're on a pedestal to to bring up the Lord, and I
27:42 definitely always, you know, try to do that. But I think it's important, like, no matter what you do, like, exhaust yourself preaching the gospel. Like Mhmm. Say you're a good writer. Alright. Write a
27:54 book about Jesus. If you can bake a cake, bake a cake and give it to somebody in the name of Jesus. Like, the Lord gave you, you know, certain skills, and everybody glorifies quarterbacks. And, you know,
28:06 that's just because, like, we're in America, that's what people love. But, like, exhaust yourself. How how selfish is it to have a gift that the Lord specifically gave you
28:18 and not just do everything you can to give back to him and to glorify him through that? So so so yeah. I
28:30 yeah. So, like, what whatever you do, like, it doesn't matter. I think the the the most confident thing you can do as a person the can I just describe this?
28:42 The most whenever I'm most confident, I'm also most humble at the same time because I'm so confident in the traits that the Lord gave me that I can utilize them for the better of other people. So
28:54 I gotta think about that and deliver that a better message, but there's message in that. I just don't know how to say it.
28:59 Well, I love this idea that humility, I've heard it said by Megan Fate Marshman, is that it's an accurate understanding of the self. Right? I believe that humility and confidence correlate because when you are
29:11 humble and you recognize who you are before God, that again, it's not about performing forward, it's about operating from a place of freedom, from a place of grace, from a place of forgiveness. We're walking in our
29:21 identity and we're more confident because it's like, hey, I'm just preparing a way for god to do his work in and through me. I'm just a willing vessel.
29:28 That's right.
29:28 That's what I see when I see you. Right? I try to see Jesus through Riley Leonard. That's your heart. That's your posture. But like you said, you know, being on a pedestal as a premier
29:40 college football player, quarterback, 1 of the best to do it, getting the opportunity to now play at the next level. With that come a lot of pressure, come a lot of hardship too. And also, probably in a season of
29:52 uncertainty. What's going in going on in your heart, and how is God peeling back layers within you in the midst of, you know what, God? I don't know where I'm going, but I'm just gonna trust you with it.
30:02 Yeah. It's tough. It's really tough. You know, I I had to remind myself though, like, if if I knew what the Lord knew, wouldn't be asking any questions.
30:13 And, you know, that's something that really has just been on my heart recently. And he's probably sitting up there chuckling right now thinking like, Riley, you're you're so simple minded. Like, See the bigger picture,
30:24 kid. You're going to end up just fine. But there are times, I'm going be honest with you, where I don't know where I'm going to end up. I don't know if I'm going to get drafted the second first round, second round, or
30:34 undrafted at all. But at the end of the day, does it does it really matter? Like, I'm gonna get an opportunity and and wherever I end up, you know, to to spread the gospel, and
30:45 and that's most important. But it's very hard for me right now to remind myself of that because, yeah, because thank y'all. Y'all are a great group. Thank you for clapping for me. It gives me time to
30:57 think about what I'm gonna say. I will say this, though. It's also super hard for me right now not to compare myself to other quarterbacks in the draft. Okay?
31:08 Because I actually learned this in the second half of the Ohio State game. I'm sitting there in the third quarter. Right? We're playing against Ohio State. Will Howard's playing really good, and I'm sitting there like,
31:18 man, like, I wish I was having the the game Will's having. Like, you know, he's gonna get get drafted higher than me or he's gonna have, you know, all these great things happen to him. And the Lord hit me in the third
31:28 quarter of that game, and it just struck me. Was like, comparison is the root of all evil. Like, all I can do is worry about the best version of myself and then leave it to him at that. And and
31:40 and that's the same thing that I'm doing right now. Like thank you all. Yeah. It's it's it's so easy for me to look at this quarterback or this quarterback and, oh, man. I I can
31:52 throw it better than him. I can run better than him. Like, no. I can get better and I can reach my full potential and that's all I can worry about. So, that's another thing that I'm juggling right now.
32:02 I think that speaks to not only athletes but us as men, right? We're all competitors and sometimes our competitiveness can easily bleed over into comparison because our goal, right? We kind
32:14 of live in a comparison culture that's built on perceived perfection. Everybody wants to become more, do more, be better, all of these things but being able to recognize, hey, I'm just going to walk right, attuned
32:26 to the spirit of God in my own life. And I'm going to trust his plan and his path for my life. Oftentimes, it's in these seasons of uncertainty though that I'm just reminded of an old quote that even when you can't track
32:36 or trace the hand of God, you can always trust the heart of God. Riley, to these men, our theme this entire weekend has been Galatians five:one. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
32:48 Let us stand firm then and not be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. For you, my friend, I'm just thinking about the man out there today who may be in a season of uncertainty similar to
33:00 you. A man who's maybe struggling to rely back on the things that God has already done. Something that I left the guys with last night is when you're in the midst of an uncertain season, don't start with what you see,
33:11 start with what God said. Riley, what is a final word of hope, encouragement, and motivation that you want to leave our guys with tonight?
33:20 Yeah. Know, I don't know if I'm, you know, the right person to to give a message like that, but I'm I will tell you 1 thing that I did in my lowest of lows, and it was surround myself with with godly
33:31 men who who had been in my shoes before. For example, after we lost NIU, I bring that up all the time. But not only did I meet with coach Freeman, but I called former Notre Dame quarterbacks who were godly men
33:43 who had been in my shoes and had Christ lift them up and bring them through those times. So, like, what you guys are doing right now is exactly the message. Like, you guys are living it right now.
33:55 Everybody to your right and left and in the back of the room, the front of the room, we're all here because we're broken men, and we need to lift each other up. It's so easy to get into these, you know you
34:07 know, closets yourself and and think that I'm alone. Like, I'm sitting I can I guarantee I can relate to every single 1 of y'all, you know, in in my sinful nature too? So, like, just surround yourself with people
34:20 who are godly men and have been there before. And you guys can we can all just carry each other through this thing. Yeah. Riley, I want
34:28 to ask this before we depart is how can we specifically be praying for you? Obviously, you're a man who's unashamed of your faith in Christ, and we wanna keep on praying that the Lord would continue to breathe his words
34:39 and his life in and through you. But how can we be praying collectively for you in this season? Yeah.
34:45 I really appreciate it. I think it's just to fixate my eyes on the Lord, and not to worry about whatever happens in my life, where I go, what brown I get picked, like all these different things. Just pray
34:57 that I will find the Lord and always seek the Lord every second I wake up. Because in my shoes right now, like I said, it's so easy to wake up and tell yourself you're somebody because of social media and because I'm
35:07 sitting here today in front of you guys. So any chance you can to just bring me back down to earth and, you know, stay humble. I'd really appreciate it.
35:16 Guys, as we wrap up, I want to I want to do something I want to do something fun. If you guys would, just extend a hand to Riley because I just feel like god is he's taking him places and he isShow more
Zach Clinton168K followers
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