PHILADELPHIA — When it comes to the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation, Super Bowl champion Rodney McLeod Jr. is keeping a close eye — and he’s putting his money on the vet.
“Shedeur Sanders? I think my thing is, [Joe] Flacco is going to start,” McLeod told me during his 5th Annual Sneaker Ball held at Philly Live! Casino & Hotel. “He’s going to be the starter. He’s experienced, you know? And he’s seen it all. It’s hard for a young guy to come in early and really be able to take command the way that I feel like the Browns are going to need him so, I’m gonna say that they can rely on Flacco for experience and Flacco is going to win the starting spot.”
His wife, Erika McLeod, agreed.
“Flacco,” she added. “I just think his expertise and his veteran status will allow him to be the starter.”
The couple spoke with me on the Sneaker Ball red carpet, where celebration and community service intersected. The McLeods launched their Change Our Future Foundation five years ago to support underserved youth in education, health and wellness — and the Sneaker Ball has become the marquee event of that mission.
“I think that there’s nothing more special than saying a foundation has lasted five years,” said Erika. “A lot of them usually crumble in that time. We’ve seen a lot of our programs expand and take off. We have seniors that will be graduating from The Next Man Up Program. Other than changing the location of Sneaker Ball, I think it’s bringing new faces in the room this year and really emphasizing what it means to us to have this foundation.”
Since announcing his NFL retirement in 2024 after stints with the Rams, Eagles, Colts and Browns, McLeod said he’s transitioned smoothly into his next chapter — as a full-time dad and husband.
“Man, retirement life is great!” McLeod said, grinning. “Full-time husband, full-time dad… I’m putting in the hours that I missed [laughing]… I don’t know if she’s tired of me yet, but I’ve been enjoying it!”
Erika smiled at the thought.
“He’s doing well, you know?” she said. “It doesn’t feel like he’s retired, let’s be honest. I feel like he’s so busy, he’s still getting his hands in the mix of everything, but that’s what he’s about. It’s about continuing the work no matter the capacity, never resting a day.”
Of course, the McLeods were front and center when the Philadelphia Eagles — Rodney’s former team — brought home another Super Bowl title this past season. For Rodney, the championship win hit differently this time around.
“We enjoyed seeing the Birds win and having the luxury of sharing the trophy with, sharing a locker room with, seeing a lot of my guys win — and I’m very grateful that we were able to experience that ourselves,” he said. “Yes! I was a little jealous of the experience that they had [laughing]…”
“I think the biggest difference was that this year we got to be in Philly when they won the Super Bowl,” Erika added. “We were in Minnesota the last time we won it; we didn’t get to see the uproar of the city with everyone running to Broad Street and having to hop out our rides and walking home. It was completely different!”
Even in retirement, McLeod still tracks the pulse of the league.
“Oh yeah! I’ve definitely been paying attention. It’s hard not to because it’s on ESPN every day,” he said. “I’m still a follower of the Browns, Eagles, Colts, the Rams… all the teams that I played for. But obviously it’s going to be a tough competitive training camp for the Browns and they got some things about to go on!”
With five years of foundation work under their belt and a shared vision for future impact, Rodney and Erika McLeod are staying just as active off the field as they were on it — continuing to change lives, one sneaker at a time.
