INDIANAPOLIS — Colts linebacker Darius Leonard‘s desire to make a young fan’s day — outside of getting a win — nearly cost him his wedding ring following Sunday’s victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Leonard was on his way back to the locker room when he gave the fan his gloves as a souvenir. Little did Leonard know, though, that his wedding ring, which he wears during the game, was also inside his left glove. It wasn’t until Leonard had showered and dressed that he realized his ring was gone.
“Once I put my gloves on, my ring is on,” Leonard said on SportsCenter. “Once I knew I took the gloves off and that’s the only thing that could have possibly happened, that’s when in my mind when I threw my glove, the ring went with it. Thought I might not see that ring again.”
What Leonard didn’t realize was that the fan had no intention of keeping his wedding ring, he just wanted the gloves. The fan went to social media and sent a direct message to the linebacker’s wife, Kayla, to let her know about what happened and of his intention of returning the ring back to the family.
“It was amazing,” Leonard said. “I always say that it’s a showcase of his parents. The honesty of saying they found it. Some people wouldn’t have said anything. They would have said it’s a souvenir. I thank them for blessing me to give my ring back, thanking them for being honest. It couldn’t have happened to a better family.”
Leonard isn’t done giving the fan a souvenir. He plans to send him a jersey as a token of his appreciation.
“I’ll give them a jersey or something,” he said. “Definitely have to return a favor.”
And yes, Leonard still plans to wear his wedding ring during the game. He’ll just be a little more careful when he takes his gloves off.
