Feb. 28, 2026, 5:30 a.m. MT<\/p>\n
The NFL is a hard life, but life after the NFL can be even harder. While some players have prospered after their playing days ended, others have fallen on hard times, often related to injuries.<\/p>\n
One example is former Denver Broncos<\/a> defensive tackle Louis Leonard. The former lineman’s wife, Lacy Leonard, detailed his post-playing struggles in an Instagram reel<\/a> last month.<\/p>\n \u201cMy husband survived the NFL, but now he\u2019s surviving everything it left behind,\u201d she said, via Us Weekly<\/a>. \u201cPeople see the glory, the lights, the crowds, but they don\u2019t see this \u2014 the aftermath, the pain, the stiffness, the tremors, the battle his body fights every single day.”<\/p>\n In the video, Lacy shows her husband navigating a hospital in a wheelchair.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our reality,\u201d she said. \u201cPhysical therapy at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, a warrior learning to move again, step-by-step and punch-by-punch.\u201d<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n Leonhard spent time with six NFL teams from 2007-2010, ending his career in Denver. He totaled 33 tackles and one sack in 25 career games. Although he only played four seasons in the league, Leonhard left with lasting consqences.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t romanticize this life,\u201d Lacy said. \u201cThe real work happens after the game is long over.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard is blessed to have a wife who is willing to be there every step of the way. The NFL is a beautiful yet violent game, and it has taken a toll on many players. May Leonard have the opportunity to recover as much as possible.<\/p>\n Social: Follow\u00a0Broncos Wire<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>!\u00a0Did you know:\u00a0These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans<\/a>.<\/p>\n