Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart isn’t going to be handed the starting job.
But Leinart plans on doing everything he can to take it.
“It’s my time and I know that,” Leinart told Sports 620 KTAR on Wednesday. “I’m working my butt off to get ready.”
He says he took only a week off before preparing for 2010, due primarily to the fact that “I didn’t play very much, [and] I didn’t take many hits.”
Leinart knows that the team likely will bring in another quarterback, and he has no problem with that.
“Competition makes you better, I’m aware of that,” Leinart said. “To be honest “I’m confident that I can do it. I’ve been in the system for Leinart also knows that the Cardinals will be overlooked in 2010, after losing quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement and three other key veterans. “There’s going to be a lot of doubters, a lot of guys who are going to write us off,” Leinart said. “I think that is motivation, motivation for the team and then obviously Leinart, of course, has had plenty of other reasons for motivation during his NFL career, but that motivation never has quite translated to performance.
with you I’m not really worried about anything. I don’t know if that’s
cockiness or not.
three years. To me it doesn’t really matter because I’m focused on my
job.”
everyone is going to look at the quarterback position and I look at
that as motivation.”
Guy’s almost at the end of his rookie contract and he finally gets to strap it on.
I wish him luck.
The 2010 season may be the first with a sub .500 division winner. Thank you NFC West.
I’m pretty sure Leinart has been in the system for four years, even if he isn’t.
Leinart was the 10th overall pick of the 2006 draft and he started that season. Six plus four is ten. Perhaps winning this job will be harder than he thinks.
Donovan Mcnabb to the Cardinals? Makes a lot of sense.
Welcome to the NFC West basement, Matt. Hope you can find some way to climb out of it, but I have my doubts.
He had his chance to “strap it on” more than once. He stunk with two of the best wide outs in the game. That is why they had to go to Warner.
He started most of 2006. In 2007 he started the first 5 games and still stunk so he was yanked. Warner took over and looked pretty good. Warner won the job in 2008 and they went to the Superbowl. Warner came back in 2009 and they made the playoffs again.
you know he could take the cards thru a undefeated season and you would still find something negative to say about him.
I heard Leinart is a gonna be a surprise character in “Hot Tub Time Machine”
sounds a little like famous last words…if I’m Matt, I shut my mouth and show it by work ethic on the field.
Hold on a sec… wasn’t it “his time” when they first signed K Warner? He didn’t live up then, he won’t now… he was D Green’s draft pick any way… current coach doesn’t owe him anything… it’d be nice just to see him pull a M Sanchez, but I doubt it… I don’t even like the Cards, I’m just sayin
HAIL SKINS!
Matt Leinart better be right about it being his time. I want him to be succesful and not just another bust. Prove everyone wrong. It’s your job to lose.
i like his confidence…too bad that wisenhunt isnt confident in him especially at the bears game this past season
But. . . it’s not his time. . . . Whisenhut doesn’t like him, they’ll be beggin Warner to come back by the time training camp starts. This will finally unleash the real Larry Fitzgerald, once the team’s prospects begin to dwindle.
you can be confident as much as you want matt; though you’ll still have that limp left wrist
its never too late to “get it”
doesnt matter who they lost or have, its the NINERS division anyways…
Poor Matt…he’s not worried and he doesn’t know if it’s cockiness or not. To me, that’s a big part of his problem – cockiness. He was drafted too high and ever since then seems to have a sense of entitlement – the starting QB job should’ve been his all along in his warped line of thinking! Damn the interceptions and multitudes of other poor decisions – he’s “confident he can do it”! Damn all the doubters! (realists who have actually been watching him play).
I wish him well, but certainly consider myself one of the “doubters”.
I am really interested in seeing if this kid can actually play the QB position. He has had three years on the bench behind a hall of fame QB to absorb and learn. He really has sucked up till now though.
This guy has no heart for football. He wants to be in the Hollywood scene. He will fall on his face….BUST
“That motivation never has quite translated to performance.”
Good luck with that.
ceetown22 says:
March 10, 2010 11:59 PM
it’d be nice just to see him pull a M Sanchez, but I doubt it… I don’t even like the Cards, I’m just sayin
For him to pull a Sanchez, he’d have to use the Hot Tub Time Machine and go back to his rookie year. Plus, you know, Leinhart would have to not suck.
-proud jets fan
He is where Vince Young was at the start of last season except he doesn’t have a veteran to suck so badly that anything would be an improvement. My tip is a 3-0 false hope start then flat on his face after he gets a SI cover with the headline ‘Arizona looking super’. Draft a QB with pick number 5 in 2011. Then bye bye Matt
quiet these jock-sniffers, Matt…come december, it will be THREE time defending NFC West Champs…and as far as this crap that the Cards win a weak division…4-2 the past two seasons in the playoffs..with a 3-0 record at home in Glendale..dig it..
“For him to pull a Sanchez, he’d have to use the Hot Tub Time Machine and go back to his rookie year. Plus, you know, Leinhart would have to not suck.
-proud jets fan”
Let’s look at Sanchez’s stats for this rookie year…
196/364 12 tds 20 ints and a rating of 63.0
Now, let’s look at Leinart’s stats
214/377 11 tds 12 ints and a rating of 74.0
And remember kids, AZ had no real running game in 2006 and no defense or a pourous offensive line. Is Leinart the best QB out there? No, he’s not. But his stats after one year were much better than Sanchez’s, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
@Tony….good job! I love both these guys because they’re Trojans, but the truth is, Matt had a better rookie season than Mark – and Mark plays on a balanced team with a lights out defense. Let us not forget that in the three seasons prior to ML being drafted, Kurt Warner produced no better than 5-11 wins, with Fitz and Q to throw to.
He has a great situation there. Throwing it too Fitzgerald, Breaston and Doucet. Should be a breakout year for him.
As long as Dockett is on the team the defense will be good too.
“I’m pretty sure Leinart has been in the system for four years, even if he isn’t.
Leinart was the 10th overall pick of the 2006 draft and he started that season. Six plus four is ten. Perhaps winning this job will be harder than he thinks.”
3 years in the current system, Dennis Green and his system was in place Leinarts’s rookie year. It doesn’t take the IQ of a QB to figure it out, but maybe it’s harder for you than I would think…..