So, final(ish) cuts have been made by all the teams to get them down to the 53-man full-time roster for the start of the new season on Thursday. Obviously, this is a tough time for a lot of players in the NFL, with as many as 800 fledgeling players’ dreams being quashed at the same time. Having said that, it’s always hilarious when a once highly-touted rookie, drafted to replace one of the all-time greats at the postion is cut due to poor performance. Enter Matt Leinart.
PreP.S: It’s OK to laugh, dude got PAID. Also, he has frankly epic chair sitting skills.
That's something he could take to the bank. You know, if it wasn't nailed down.
Leinart, a former Heisman trophy winner (given yearly to the best collegiate player in the USA. Think of it as the MVP of College Football), was drafted by the Cardinals with the 10th pick of the 2006 draft to be an eventual replacement for the then ailing Kurt Warner. Leinart started 11 games in his rookie season, including passing for the most yards ever by a rookie in one game. Having said that, he did end the season on IR.
D'oh.
But shit, as they say, happens. Leinart entered the 2007 as the starter ahead of Kurt Warner, and promptly got injured again.
Double D'oh.
Unfortunately for ol’ Matty, Warner decided to become godly again and solidified his place as Arizona’s starting QB for the rest of the season.
And the next one.
And the next one.
All the while, Leinart is sitting on the sidelines, stewing, only getting very occasional playtime towards the back end of games.
But earlier this year, Kurt Warner officially announced his retirement, gifting the reins of one of the best offenses of recent years to Leinart. An honour he promtly lost by being outplayed by a man considered not good enough to play for the Browns.
He's as confused as we are.
Anyway, all’s well that ends well and such. During the course of me writing this blog (it took longer than you might think) Leinart signed a 1 year deal with the Texans to back up Matt Schaub which, if past injuries are anything to go by, is pretty much the same as being the starter. Y’know, except for last season. Anyway, we’ll see how he does.
Other important tidbits of news that reared their heads while I was writing include:
Defensive Player of the Year runner up Darrelle Revis has ended his 36 day holdout from the Jets, signing a 4 year, $46 million contract with New York’s AFC representative. Revis will now be available to start at CB for the Jets in Monday night’s season opener against the Ravens.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh has signed for the Ravens, after being released by the Seahawks for financial reasons. It is understood Baltimore we able to secure his services relatively cheaply, as Hoosh is still owed $7 by the Seahawks for his release.
Well, that’s the only REALLY important stuff that happened. Anyway, shall be back for a quickie on Thursday before the big kickoff. Until then, dear readers….
