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The second quarterback taken in the 2006 Draft (Titans, Vince Young, 3rd overall), selected by the Cardinals with the 10th overall pick.
Took over the starting QB spot in week 5 of his rookie campaign and started the next 11 games; missed the season finale at San Diego after injuring his left shoulder in game 15.
Threw for 200 yards or more in eight of his 11 starts; completed 60% or more of his passes in five of his final six starts.
Became the first Cardinals quarterback since Jake Plummer in 2001 to have three games in a season with a 100+ quarterback rating (all were in his final six starts of ’06).
Became the first rookie in NFL history to throw for over 400 yards in a game when he passed for 405 at Minnesota on 11/26/06. The previous league record belonged to Plummer who threw for 388 yards against the New York Giants on 11/16/97.
Leinart's 2,547 yards passing in 2006 also broke Plummer's franchise rookie record of 2,203 yards, set in 1997.
Became first QB in NFL history to throw two TD passes in the first quarter of each of his first two games when he did it vs. Kansas City and Chicago.
Pro Career:
The Cardinals first pick in the 2006 NFL Draft (10th overall), Leinart took over as the starter in week five of the season, starting in 11 of the 12 games in which he appeared and only missing the final game of the season after being deactivated with a left shoulder injury. Established a new NFL rookie record when he passed for 405 yards at Minnesota on 11/26/06. Threw for 200 or more yards in eight games while completing 60% or more of his passes in five of his final six games.
2006: Took over as the starting quarterback in week five in his rookie season and started the next 11 games before sitting out the season finale with a left shoulder injury saw his first regular season action @ Atl (10/1) when he replaced Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter, completing five of eight passes for 49 yards and an interception starting the first game of his NFL career, threw touchdown passes of 49 and five yards in the Cardinals first two possessions vs. KC (10/8); completed 22 of 35 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns for a 91.7% passer rating completed 24 of 42 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns in the Monday Night contest vs. Chi (10/16), becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw two touchdown passes in the first quarter of his first two games completed 20 of 38 passes for 216 yards and ran for a three-yard TD vs. Dal (11/12) logged his highest quarterback rating of the season (101.7) while earning his first NFL victory as he completed 19 of 29 passes for 233 yards and one TD in the win vs. Det (11/19); also ran for his second TD in two weeks and second of the season completed 31 of 51 passes for 405 yards, all career highs, with one TD pass @ Min (11/26); his 405 passing yards established a new NFL rookie record, surpassing Jake Plummer’s previous mark of 388 yards set in 1997; threw for just the eighth 400-yard passing day in franchise history and the first since 1998 went 21 for 34 with 232 yards and two TDs vs. Sea (12/10), completing at least 60% of his passes for the fourth consecutive game completed nine of 13 passes for 162 yards and one TD before leaving the game with a sprained shoulder in the second quarter @ SF (12/24) inactive (left shoulder) for the season finale @ SD (12/31).
College:
A three-time All-American and one of the most decorated quarterbacks in college football history, Leinart compiled the highest winning percentage of any USC quarterback and the second highest in NCAA history with a 37-2 record as a starter (94.9%). Only Toledo’s Chuck Ealey (35-0, 1969 71) had a higher winning percentage among quarterbacks with at least 25 starts. Completed 807 of 1,245 passes (64.8%) for 10,693 yards and 99 touchdowns with only 23 interceptions in four seasons at USC as a senior started all 13 games completing 283 of 431 passes (65.7%) for 3,815 yards and 28 touchdowns with only eight interceptions passed for 365 yards while completing 29 of 40 passes for one touchdown and one interception against Texas in the Rose Bowl completions, passing yardage, passing efficiency rating and rushing touchdowns in 2005 were better than his 2004 Heisman Trophy season completed 66.8% of his passes (129-of-193) for 1,493 yards, 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions completed 269 of 412 passes (65.3%) for 3,332 yards, 33 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 13 games as a junior en route to a Heisman Trophy and National Championship completed 24 of 34 passes for 242 yards and one touchdown vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl became only the third quarterback to lead his team to back-to-back National Championships 33 touchdown passes were second on the USC season-record list, 269 completions were third, and 3,322 passing yards and 3,278 yards of total offense were fourth 33 touchdown passes also tied for third on the Pac-10 season-record list had fewer interceptions, the same amount of touchdown passes, and a better completion percentage and passing rating and led USC to more wins than Carson Palmer did in his 2002 Heisman Trophy season after winning the starting job in a preseason battle, went on to complete 255 of 402 passes (63.4%) for 3,556 yards, 38 touchdowns and only nine interceptions while winning a National Championship as a sophomore completed 23 of 34 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns against Michigan in the Rose Bowl ranked third nationally in passing efficiency (164.5, first in Pac-10) set a Pac-10 season record with 212 consecutive passes without an interception-stretching over eight games and fell just four passes short of the Pac-10 career record 164.5 passing efficiency rating was the best season in USC history 38 touchdown passes was a Pac-10 season record and the second most by any sophomore in NCAA history became the first USC sophomore to have back-to-back 300-yard passing games and the first USC sophomore to have thrown for 3,000 yards in a season the third-string quarterback as a redshirt freshman appeared briefly late in three games, taking two snaps at Colorado, directing three series at Oregon and taking a snap at UCLA, but did not throw a pass.
College Highlights
The 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, became just the second Heisman winner to be drafted by the Cardinals (RB John David Crow, Texas A&M, 1958).
Recorded a 37-2 record as a starter at USC, a 94.8% winning percentage. Only Toledo’s Chuck Ealey (35-0) had a higher winning percentage among quarterbacks with 25 or more starts.
Led the University of Southern California to National Championships in 2003 and 2004, becoming only the third quarterback in the last 30 years to lead his team to back-to-back National Championships.
Holds the USC and Pac-10 record for career touchdowns thrown with 99, shattering the previous school record of 72 set by Carson Palmer and the conference record of 77 set by Stanford’s John Elway.
Was named 2005 Sportsman of the Year by The Sporting News and one of People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People for 2006.
Personal:
Full name Matthew Stephen Leinart graduated in 2005 with a degree in Sociology born with strabismus (cross-eyes), as his left eye was not aligned with his right (underwent surgery when he was three years old and was fitted with glasses) at Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, CA) completed 192 of 309 passes (62.1%) for 2,870 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a senior in 2000 against National Champion De La Salle High, completed 31 of 47 passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns, leading his team to a 9-3 record in 2000 as a junior in 1999, named All-Serra League Offensive MVP while completing 150 of 233 passes (64.4%) for 2,400 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions Mater Dei was the CIF Division I co-champion in 1999 sat out his 1998 sophomore season with a rotator cuff injury to his left (throwing) shoulder has one son, Cole. |
