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| Matt Leinart |
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| 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. |
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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.
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%). His 2004 season will go down as one of the most celebrated in NCAA History as Leinart won both the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship.
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. |
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Click on photos to read bios |
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