ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders' lineman Charles Leno and his wife, Jen, are going back to where it all started, Chicago. Jen is from the Windy City and Charles started his NFL career with the Chicago Bears.
Charles is now in the middle of his second season in Washington and on Thursday, the Commanders will play Chicago at Soldier Field.
“I know I’m going to have some emotions going back,” said Charles Leno.
Jen, who grew up a die-hard Bears fan, hasn’t been back home since 2019.
“It’s going to be emotional going back,” said Jen Leno. “It’s where he [Charles] started his career, it’s where we first met, where we started our family, got our first house and got our first dog.”
The two met in 2014 when Charles was a rookie for the Chicago Bears. They started off as friends, but it was their first date at a Chicago Chili’s restaurant when Charles knew Jen was the one.
“She picked me up when I was cashing my first NFL check, I was broke at the time,” said Charles.
The two didn’t know if Charles’ NFL paycheck would clear, so Jen ended up paying for the dinner.
“I knew she was a good one from that day on,” said Charles.
Their relationship is so tight, Jen even watches and breaks down game film with Charles.
“She’s the best o-line coach in the league,” said Charles. Jen admits, she had to change the way she cheered on the Chicago Bears for Charles. “As a fan, you can’t turn off the game when the Bears aren’t playing well,” said Jen. “When you’re dating a player, that doesn’t go away. I can’t turn off the TV.”
The Leno family started a non-profit organization in Chicago called Beyond the Entertainer. Every holiday season, they help different organizations with their Leno Claus initiative. The same community project that helped 20 different organizations in Washington D.C. last holiday season. Some include giving the residents at the Ronald McDonald House in Virginia supplies, giving a shopping spree to those at Covenant House Greater Washington, gifting STEM students with LEGOs through Athletes for Charity, partnering with the Hogfarmers to purchase a truckload of toys for kids and hosting a bingo night at Bailey's Shelter.
The two shared many memories while dating in Chicago. However, one of the most memorable memories was when Charles decided to ask Jen to marry him.
“During a Chicago Bears game when I was a little girl, I remember looking at the screen and seeing someone propose at a game,” said Jen. “I told my grandpa, that’s how I want someone to ask me to marry me.”
Well, Charles received word of that story and made Jen’s dreams come true and then some. On Dec. 16, 2018, after the Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers to win the NFC North, Charles got down on one knee at Soldier Field. She said yes!
“I knew it meant so much to her. That’s why I did it,” said Charles. People always ask, where did you keep the ring? Charles jokingly responded, “I had it in my sock the entire game.”
When the Commanders walk onto Soldier Field in Chicago, the Leno family will look a lot different. Instead of the Bears' navy blue and burnt orange, Charles and Jen will don burgundy and gold.
“It’s weird. I’ve never gone to a Bears game and cheered against the Bears,” said Jen.
Charles and Jen now have three kids and have made the Washington D.C. area their new home. However, Chicago will forever be the city where Charles and Jen became a family.
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