Colts: Darius Leonard announces birth of second daughter on Instagram
By Jerry Trotta
This offseason has already been a big one for Darius Leonard.
On top of being named an All-Pro for the second time in three seasons, the Colts linebacker continued giving back to the less fortunate by launching the “Maniac Foundation” to help transform the Indianapolis and Lake View, South Carolina (his hometown) communities.
The foundation was created to help support families in need and will center on health programs, providing resources and “Math Maniacs,” an educational project designed to help kids “fall in love with math,” as Leonard put it. Doesn’t get much better than that, right?
We’re glad you asked. Per the latest reports, the Colts superstar is currently in contract negotiations and it’s largely expected that he’ll become the highest-paid linebacker, at least in terms of annual average salary, before the start of next season.
With all that being said, something just happened to Leonard that will top all of those accomplishments by a landslide. The 2018 second-round pick took to Instagram on Friday to welcome his newborn daughter, Laila, into the world.
A huge congratulations to #Colts star LB Darius Leonard (@dsleon45) on the birth of his child! pic.twitter.com/sCGbtFxkPl
— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) June 4, 2021
Colts star Darius Leonard announced the birth of his second daughter on Friday.
"“Laila Quinn Leonard on 6/4/21 at 11:25! 9lbs 5 ounces 21 inches long,” Leonard wrote on Instagram. “Lord, I want to thank you for blessing my family with a healthy baby girl!”"
What an amazing moment for Leonard and his wife, Kayla, who actually met when they were in kindergarten. They didn’t start dating until the11th grade and Leonard eventually popped the engagement question on his senior day at South Carolina State.
Leonard, of course, was nabbed by Indy at No. 36 overall in 2018. Before he left for Indianapolis, however, he and Kayla had an impromptu wedding — at which Leonard rocked a Colts t-shirt and SC State shorts — because they always promised to tie the knot before his NFL journey began.
A few months later, Kayla told Leonard she was expecting and they welcomed their first daughter, Mia, that following March. As if their story couldn’t get any more wholesome, Mia was the flower girl at the couple’s real wedding (which Kayla always dreamt of having) in June.
Now, the Leonards will welcome another daughter into the family. For as much commitment as fatherhood entails, fans in Indianapolis wont have to worry about this big news impacting his presence around the organization this offseason.
After all, he was present at OTAs and spent his time gloating about the Colts’ incoming rookie class. With those wrapping up this week (!), the timing of Laila’s birth was perfect…which checks out considering Leonard hasn’t put a foot wrong since he touched down in Indy.
