Matt Leinart Biography

Matthew Stephen Leinart, born on May 11, 1983, is an American former professional football quarterback who has played in the National Football League for seven seasons. He played college football for the USC Trojans and won the Heisman Trophy, leading the team to a perfect season in 2004. Selected 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL draft, Leinart served primarily as Kurt Warner's backup for four seasons. Leinart was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 in recognition of his collegiate achievements. As one of the nation's top college football recruits, Leinart committed to USC under coach Paul Hackett, influenced by offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. He attended the University of Southern California, where he played for coach Pete Carroll's USC Trojans football team from 2001 to 2005. As a sophomore in 2003, Leinart competed with redshirt junior Matt Cassel and Purdue transfer Brandon Hance for the starting quarterback position.