Wife of Former NFL Player Says Don't Romanticize NFL Life

Lacey Leonard posted an Instagram Reel showing her husband, former NFL defensive tackle Louis Leonard, using a wheelchair while receiving care; she said he is living with Parkinson's disease and stage‑4 kidney disease and urged people not to romanticize life after the league.

Lacey Leonard posted an Instagram Reel on Jan. 17 showing her husband, former NFL defensive tackle Louis Leonard, using a wheelchair while receiving care. Louis, 41, played in the NFL from 2007 to 2010 for six teams and recorded 33 career tackles. Lacey said he is living with Parkinson's disease and stage‑4 kidney disease and noted that the league's standard five‑year health coverage ends after that period. Key details: - The Reel shows Louis receiving physical therapy, including visits to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, and highlights day-to-day mobility challenges. - Lacey urged people not to romanticize life after the NFL and described a gap after the league's five years of health coverage. - Louis's conditions were publicly disclosed in October 2025 as Parkinson's disease and stage‑4 kidney disease. - Several former players, including Terrell Owens and Terry Crews, left supportive comments, and Lacey is a member of the Off the Field Player's Wives Association. Summary: The posts underscore the long-term health effects faced by some former players and the caregiving realities their families experience. Lacey Leonard is sharing her family's experiences publicly and offering connections for other spouses and caregivers. Undetermined at this time.