Michiko Araki
When you’re next in line on the depth chart, you never know when your opportunity to shine might come – but you better be ready for when it does.
As rookie tight end A.C. Leonard quickly discovered, everyone is expected to perform in a starting role at any given moment. After fellow rookie and former NFL tight end Cameron Morrah went down with an injury that would sideline him for the next six games, A.C. was called upon to match Morrah’s speed & physical presence on the field. With only a week to feel comfortable in his starting role, A.C. definitely looked more than ready in his CFL debut.
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After catching not only one but two touchdown passes in his first ever CFL game last week against the Roughriders, A.C. – otherwise known as “Cool Breeze” – quickly showed he wasn’t afraid to make a statement in his brand new role.
“Going in, I just wanted to help my team out and do what I can to help us get this ‘W’,” he explains. “I want to show the guys that they can depend on me and count on me. I just wanted to go out there, make plays and have fun.”
You could say that a part of A.C.’s instant success has been a result of his work ethic during and after practice. It’s not a rare sight to see A.C. catching passes from the quarterbacks after practice or running lengths of the field for extra conditioning as the other receivers make their way off the field. This work ethic is something he learned from working with his uncles who used to play in the NFL.
“This is who I am. I want to be great. Everyday I’m going to work at something to make my game better and take my game to the next level… even if I was starting, even if I wasn’t starting.”
This mindset has been crucial to A.C.’s success in his starting role, and Lions fans are sure to see more of him this season!