Colts LB Darius Leonard discusses 'scary' incident and being kicked out of Chipotle
Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard experienced something this week that many African-American men, women and children face every day — racial discrimination.
Leonard says he was kicked out of a South Carolina Chipotle restaurant this week following a dispute, according to ESPN, and he discussed the incident on "First Take" on Friday.
"When you think about being a Black male now in America, and to hear that they want to involve the police — the first thing that went in my mind was I have a wife and a kid," Leonard told ESPN's "First Take" on Friday. "If the police is involved, you're thinking you're not making it home. For me to have to sit there and think that my life is in jeopardy just because I'm sitting there eating with my family, not causing no problem, is scary."
Following the incident, Leonard even tweeted that being a man of color in the United States is "scary."
The 24-year-old Leonard also addressed the matter via Instagram on Thursday, and said he was dining at the restaurant with his family and friends, all of who aren't white, when a manager ordered them to leave the premises, stating a white customer claimed they were being verbally abusive.
The allegation made by the customer was a lie, Leonard states, and he also noted he, his family and friends did nothing wrong.
"That's what being Black in America is right now," Leonard said in the video. "Us not even doing anything wrong, going out to eat with your family, just trying to spend a little bit of quality time. You can't even enjoy eating anymore."
Leonard says the Chipotle manager who addressed him had a terrible attitude and threatened to call police if Leonard's group didn't leave. The manager's attitude changed once he found out Leonard was an NFL star, and Leobard admitted that was discouraging, too.
Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol has reportedly suspended the manager while the company investigates the incident, noting that the restaurant chain has a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of discrimination.
During just his second year in the NFL last season, Leonard recorded five sacks, 71 solo tackles, two forced fumbles, five interceptions and seven tackles for a loss and made the Pro Bowl.
He was selected by the Colts 36th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and was voted the Defensive Rookie of the Year that same season.
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