Many athletes have superstitions that they take very seriously, but Duke quarterback Riley Leonard’s is easily one of the most unusual you will ever see.
Leonard wore a bracelet during Monday night’s game against Clemson that read “YOU SUCK.” ESPN explained the origin of the message, which is one Leonard’s mother sends to him in a text message before every game. Leonard said he needs somebody to “keep his ego in check” so he asked his mom to text him and tell him he sucks.
The superstition certainly seemed to pay off on Monday. Duke dominated No. 9 Clemson en route to a 28-7 victory. Leonard was 17/33 for 175 yards and rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown.
While a quarterback needing to hear that he sucks before every game is a bit strange, the fact that the text message comes from Leonard’s mother is what really puts the superstition over the top.
One thing we can say about Leonard’s superstition is that it, fortunately, is not as gross as Josh Allen’s. It could be worse.
Leonard, a junior, threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and 6 interceptions last season. He added 699 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground. He has Duke off to a great start with the upset win over a top-10 opponent.
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