Abstract: The theory of interaction of the individual and environment is conducive to explore the effect of coach’s paternalistic leadership behaviors on athlete engagement and its mechanism of action. A questionnaire answered by 257 young athletes can test the relationship between coach’s paternalistic leadership behavior, athlete engagement and mental toughness. The results show that the benevolent leadership behavior has a positive influence on athlete engagement; virtue leadership behavior has a positive influence on athlete engagement; authoritarian leadership behavior has no effect on athlete engagement; mental toughness has a completely intermediary role between benevolent leadership behavior and athlete engagement, and it has a partial intermediary role between virtue leadership behavior and athlete engagement. Benevolent leadership behavior and virtue leadership have a direct positive influence on athlete engagement, which also improve athlete engagement by influencing the athletes’ mental toughness.