Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Husband Andre’s Painful NFL Exit Shaped Her View of Track and Field Retirement

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There is a certain allure in watching an athlete dominate their discipline. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has done just that, winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 400m hurdles, lowering her own world record in the process. But beneath the sleek victories and international applause lies a personal story quietly steering her perspective: one shaped not by triumph, but by the abrupt collapse of a dream. Her husband, Andre Levrone, once chased a future in the NFL. Injuries cut it short. The fallout from his exit became the lens through which Sydney began to understand how she would one day leave the track behind.

Sydney’s career reads like a fantasy. Four Olympic golds, two individual world records, and a new layer of dominance added with every season. Still, she remains acutely aware that the clock is always ticking. This awareness does not come from within the sport, but from the man standing beside her. And Sydney did not miss the chance to praise and give all due credit to her better-half.

Joining Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green on the Tidal League podcast, Sydney said, “My husband was one of those athletes who did not get the chance to ride off into the sunset.” Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone further shared, “He thought football was going to continue, and unfortunately due to some injuries he was not able to continue the way he wanted to in the NFL and it came to an abrupt stop for him.” She spoke candidly about the shock and the “what now?” that followed. That chapter in Andre’s life, however painful, gave her something she did not expect— ‘perspective’.

There are moments in training when the grind catches up to her. The weight of repetition, the ache of expectation. She finds herself complaining to Bobby Kersee, the revered coach who continues to push her through punishing 400s. But then Andre steps in. “He’s like, man, I would give anything to be on the field again… to be back with the guys in the locker room,” she explained. That reminder often reorients her. So does the advice from her father, who once worked behind a desk for forty years. “Enjoy this… You get to live your dream.”

During a conversation with Justin Gatlin, McLaughlin-Levrone reflected further. “I don’t want to take that for granted because it will come to an end,” she admitted. “I’ll be looking back like, dang, I remember all those times we were in Philly…” She knows her exit will not be a mystery. It will be deliberate. She will savor it. Andre’s experience ensures that. His disappointment has become her guidance system. In a career marked by record books and televised glory, it is that quiet influence that might be her greatest advantage. And when it comes to her meet days, Andre takes on a completely different stance to be by her side.

Why Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s “biggest hype man” goes completely silent on race day

On the mornings of her most important races, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone does not engage in rituals that draw attention or summon drama. Instead, there is quiet. Her husband, Andre Levrone Jr., former NFL wide receiver and now a seminary student, has learned precisely how to honor that quiet. It is not merely respect. It is understanding built over time, shaped by shared discipline, and affirmed by mutual restraint.

Sydney McLuaghlin-Levrone And Andre Levrone (Credits: Instagram/@andrelevrone)

“We’ve definitely developed our routine and he understands when I’m locked in,” McLaughlin-Levrone told Women’s Health. There is no confusion between silence and distance. On race days, Levrone steps aside, not from support, but from distraction. His presence remains constant, but deliberately unobtrusive. He handles the details, shields her from interference, and allows her the mental isolation required to pursue mastery. “It’s nothing personal, just trying to stay super focused,” she said. “He takes care of certain things for me on race day, which I really appreciate so I can focus on what I got to do.”

This arrangement is not casual. Rather, it is purposeful. Their shared background in elite sport has rendered many words unnecessary. “Just being able to be on the same page about a lot of these things and what it takes mentally makes a difference—a huge difference,” she added. It is not a system devised for comfort or show, but one designed with clarity: when the moment arrives, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is prepared to run, and Andre Levrone Jr. knows precisely how to help—by stepping back.

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