Let’s have a laugh—or cry, you choose. Tom Brady threw 50 touchdowns in 2007 alone. Leinart threw fourteen over his career. That’s like comparing a candle to the sun. Even Eli Manning, who had his own ups and downs, threw for 20+ TDs in eight different seasons. Leinart never hit 12.
His yards per attempt (5.8) is lower than Ryan Tannehill’s career average. And Tannehill isn’t exactly a Hall of Famer. The draft capital vs. stats ratio here is brutal. He was the 10th overall pick in 2006. Ouch squared.
Matt Leinart Signs With Houston Texans: Why He'll Never Start Again
The “What If” Factor
You can argue that Leinart’s stats suffered because the Cardinals had a terrible offensive line and no running game early on. And you’d be right—to a point. But then you watch his tape: slow release, average arm strength, and a tendency to stare down receivers. The stats back up the eye test.
He also dealt with injuries, sure. But the 14-14 TD-INT ratio is the stat that haunts him. It’s the number that whispers, “This guy was never quite good enough.” Even his career high in passing yards in a game (405 yards in 2006) feels hollow because they still lost to the Vikings.
