Leaf was selected by the Chargers with the No. 2 pick in 1998.
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf only played three seasons after being selected No. 2 in the 1998 NFL draft, but he made a lasting impact on a family on Monday.
Leaf replied to a tweet from Taylor Futch, who wrote that her husband, a park ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, was furloughed on Sunday during the government shutdown.
"My husband is a Park Ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and he had to sign his furlough papers. We have a 4-year-old and a 4-month-old, and we don't know when his next check will come," Futch tweeted. "Mortgage is due, Christmas two days away. "
Leaf replied to Futch's tweet, offering to "help with your mortgage if you will allow."
You don’t know me, but my grandfather was a game warden in Montana and we spent our vacations going to our 2 national parks. Anna, and my son McGyver & I would love to help with your mortgage if you will allow. #MerryXmas
— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) December 24, 2018
Leaf's post-football career has been tumultuous, serving time in prison in 2013 after a pair of arrests. The Washington State product has transformed his life in recent years, though, becoming a leading voice for drug recovery and help for those who struggle with drug addiction.