Mailbag: Was Leinart treated unfairly?
A couple of last-minute NFL roster moves – quarterback Matt Leinart's(notes) release and cornerback Darrelle Revis'(notes) return – dominated the thoughts of many readers:
Do you not think people are being unfair to Matt Leinart? People keep comparing him to [Kurt] Warner but what kind of fair comparison is that? Warner is out, he isn't playing no more. So what difference does it make whether Leinart is as good or has the same qualities as Warner? Why is the same standard not being held to Derek Anderson(notes)? You brought up in your article that Warner was a better leader of men, but how is that relevant? Shouldn't the question be how Leinart compares to the other QBs on the team? And the facts speak for themselves. Leinart had more years on the team than any other QB, he spent more years learning under better QBs and with better coaching than Derek Anderson. But most tellingly his career and especially preseason numbers were ridiculously better than Anderson's. A lot is made about Leinart's lack of tangibles, and I get that, but why overlook every single tangible aspect of the game. I'm a stat's hound and statistically the only thing Anderson did better than Leinart was avoiding sacks. In all other aspects of the passing game Leinart is the better weapon. Why overlook that, just because he doesn't have the intangibles? At a 70.4 QB rating, he's better than the average for all QBs. And with a 104 QB rating in the preseason he's right around the mark for the average of all passes thrown in the NFL, so he's at least average. Anderson's numbers against both comparisons are below average for both his career and this preseason.
Daniel
Austin, Texas
Actually, Anderson had a Pro Bowl season in 2007; that is better than anything Leinart has done in his career. To use Leinart's 104 rating in preseason is silly because preseason stats are so meaningless. The bottom line is that Leinart's teammates and coaches didn't think much of him. If you're a quarterback, your teammates and coaches have to believe in you. It's that simple.
Just read your article about Matt Leinert. Thanks for bringing to light all of the problems with Leinert. To be honest, that is probably my favorite part of sports: finding out what the players are really like when the cameras aren't focused on them. This leads me to my one qualm with your article. Why in the world did you not report on this when it first happened? Why did you not talk about this during Leinert's rookie season? This is the same problem I had with Lebron James' story. All of a sudden Lebron is being demonized in the media for being such a spoiled brat, but it took him doing something unpopular for it to become a story. Report on this stuff when it happens!
Vinnie
New York
Actually, if you look back a little, you'll see that I reported on this subject plenty of times – which is why Ken Whisenhunt disagreed with me so strongly.
Wow, you couldn't wait to flame this guy. Leinart was a pretty-boy through and through. I'm not a fan of his, but wow you were brutal in your column. Nice article though, great insight. Good luck Matt.
Rick
Fort Bragg, N.C.
I had no desire to “flame” the guy. It's just reality and, like you, I hope the kid turns his career around and has success.
You couldn't have put it better. Leinart was playing a role in this movie where fair haired USC quarterback makes it big in the pros. But his teammates saw right through him. Just not willing to put in the hard work needed to be a pro quarterback. [Now with the Texans,] the question is will he learn his lesson from this humiliation? I somehow doubt it.
Steve
Los Angeles
Sadly, most people don't change. But there's always hope.
Granted, Leinart is not the brightest light around, but neither is Whisenhunt. Anyone who goes from the Steelers to Arizona and then thinks that he can win with somebody who couldn't beat out Brady Quinn(notes) obviously has a problem. I think with better coaching and a little encouragement, Leinart would have done better. But he didn't help himself much.
Dick Terrill
Torrance, Calif.
Well, given that Whisenhunt has led the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl and most consistent performances since the Don Coryell era, I'd have to say that he's has earned some credibility.
Jason I guess your a perfect human being. The best sportswriter in the country right? No sins of any kind? You build these athletes up and then burn 'em down all at a profit. You are the money lenders in the Temple and the one of the soldiers casting lots at the foot of the cross. Grow up big guy and stay on the couch, you couldn't carry Matt's lunch. Nuf said.
Steve Voita
Phoenix
Wow, speaking of sanctimonious, you really hit that bit pretty hard. The point is that Leinart failed during his time in Arizona and there's a reason. Talking about that reason is important if Leinart (or anyone who suffers from the same issues) is ever going to get better. That doesn't mean I'm right, but I think I have a pretty good idea about the problem, even if I'm a flawed person as well.
Amazing you can write an entire article about Leinart without once mentioning how he actually did in the preseason this year. Typical trash/hit piece. Was the MMA thing stupid and some kind of weird publicity thing? Sure. Arizona needs a reliable starter for an entire season and Derek Anderson is just not it. They should just pretend it's a boat race, make both guys work for the job, then give Leinart the job like he had (and did fine with) in 2006, and make Anderson the injury replacement like he should be. Instead, watch him start to crumble by Week 6 and Arizona out of the playoffs. Common sense dictates someone else will enjoy having Leinart around a lot more than Whisenhunt did. Never let your ego get in the way of making coaching decisions.
Brian
Tustin, Calif.
Preseason? Man, people have no clue how little preseason means. As for Whisenhunt, I distinctly got the feeling he tried to make it work with Leinart, but it wasn't going to happen because Leinart is who he is.
I don't know Matt Leinart personally nor do I wish him any ill will. However, since his time in the NFL and even during his college years he has always had that "playboy" mentality. I can't help but think that maybe this is the best thing that ever happened to him. By letting him go, the Cardinals have forced Matt to decide what is most important to him. At some point he has to realize that the only reason anyone in "Hollywood" gave him any attention was because he was a football "star." He has to choose one lifestyle or another. If in fact Matt is picked up by another team or put on the practice squad he should go watch the movie "The Untouchables.". I keep hearing Kevin Costner's character Elliot Ness in the back of my mind telling Al Capone "Never stop fighting until the fight is done." Let's watch and see if he has any fight left in him …
Scott McGuire
Rocklin, Calif.
Yes, it will be interesting to see how he does. Hopefully he does have some fight.
Rex Ryan was adamant that the Jets get Revis back on the field.
(Rick Schultz/AP Photo)
Earlier this week, I railed against "ME-vis" in a comment to your column. Glad to see he learned to compromise, so now I forgive him, and will call him "WE- vis" now that he's back to being a teammate. Kudos to Jets and WE-vis for burying the hatchet.
John O.
Greensboro, N.C.
This was a well-handled situation at the end.
No! Jets are making the biggest mistake by giving in to his demand. Now every other so-called overpriced players are going to do the same thing. Shame on the J.E.T.S. Who does he think he is Bret Farve. Lol.
Tony Perez
Philadelphia
If that player is the best cornerback in the league, then it might happen. Then again, the Jets shouldn't have promised to redo his deal early in the offseason. That's where the problem really started.
Last-minute deals get signed in every sport every season. What exactly did Ryan do? He showed up at a meeting. Have we elevated this guy to the point where we think his very presence heals all wounds? I'm not saying he didn't do anything. I'm just saying it wasn't clear from the article.
Mike Cullen
Raleigh, N.C.
He didn't just show up at a meeting; Ryan was the guy who made this happen in the end. That's part of the role of a head coach: He has to speak up to management in critical situations. This was one of those situations.
Unreal! I guess a signed contract means nothing! This guy was signed for 2010 at his current salary. He hold out for more money. I would have let him walk. Any other business or in life contracts are hard to break but not in sports. These guys have absolutely no integrity. I know everyone or a lot of people will say the Jets need him etc., etc. He signed a contract he should play it out. I wouldn't watch or pay to watch a bunch of ego maniacs that think they're better than everyone of the suckers sitting in the stands. … People better wake up – these players could care less about the fan base. Out of a job? Go renegotiate your deal with your boss. Good luck!
Larry
Chicago
The problem with your logic is twofold. First, football isn't a normal business where players are easily replaced – particularly in the cases of really talented players. Second, you don't understand that most football contracts are not fully guaranteed. That forces players in these circumstances to take strong measures in situations like this … such as when the team reneges on a promise.
"If the Jets are going to win a Super Bowl, Sanchez will be playing a bit part this year." I think you mean big part. You may want someone to proofread your article before you publish it.
Christine
Thanks for the snarky advice, but I actually meant bit part, not big.
Boy I hope you are wrong about Seattle. I think they are good for five wins. Granted they released everyone under the sun, but you really like the Rams over the Seahawks? Is there anything else you're basing that on other than bad trade decisions for backup quarterbacks or the fact that our third-down back has shown up well enough to earn a "starting" job? I think the Seahawks offense will be just as dismal as last year, even though I love Matt Hasselbeck(notes), and I am not wild about the defense, but our home turf makes us about as tough a team to handle as a rebuilding team can be. If the Seahawks manage to look respectable, I hope you do an update on your prediction here, because even though we aren't great, we aren't what Detroit was and what St Lois is now.
Tezlin
Bellevue, Wash.
I wish there was a better endgame for Hasselbeck, but I'm afraid there's just not a lot around him. I don't like the roster outside of roughly six guys. Maybe they win more games than St. Louis, but I like the Rams' future more.
