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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Dan Lyons

Why Riley Leonard's Mom Texts Him 'You Suck' Before Every Notre Dame Game

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates with fans in the stands after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Before Riley Leonard and Notre Dame kick off against Penn State at the Orange Bowl on Thursday night, he'll get a text from his mother Heather that appears harsh... at least, on the surface.

"My mom, before every football game, texts me, 'You suck,'" Leonard said in an ESPN video. "It started in high school, I was tired of everybody telling me how good I was all the time. I needed someone to tell me I suck every once in a while to give me some motivation."

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