Many times professional athletes only get one opportunity to show they can make it in the pros. They get a few year window, sometimes less, to show they are capable of competing at the highest level there is. If they fail then the rest of their career is either over or is destined to be spent riding the bench. Sometimes, however, players are given a second chance. Another opportunity to show that they have improved or were given up on too easily. Matt Leinart has been given that chance.
If the season were to end today, the Houston Texans would be the number one seed in the AFC. That is despite the fact they have played much of the season without two of their best players in Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. You can now add another player to that list of injured stars, Matt Schaub. Schaub has a lisfranc injury that is almost certain to knock him out of action for the rest of the season, with an outside shot of him being able to return for the playoffs. With this injury people are now questioning whether or not the first place Texans can even make the playoffs.
Enter Matt Leinart. The former Heisman Trophy winner at USC who was the number 10 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The guy who was supposed to lead the Cardinals out of obscurity as their franchise quarterback, only to be replaced by veteran Kurt Warner after a couple sub par seasons. Leinart showed flashes in Arizona but not nearly enough to warrant keeping the job over Warner. In 2010 with Warner out of the picture Leinart seemed poised to take the reigns of the franchise back over, only to be cut in favor of Derek Anderson, Max Hall, and John Skelton. As embarrassing as that is, to his credit, Leinart didn't pack it in.
He found a home with the Texans as their backup quarterback. This offseason when it was speculated he would go to Seattle to compete for the starting job, Leinart instead stayed loyal to the team who picked him up when he was at the lowest point of his career and resigned with Houston to again back up Schaub. After riding the pine for all 16 games last year, Leinart is now being called upon to take over the reigns as the starter and lead the Texans to the playoffs. He has a second chance to show he is capable of being a starting quarterback in this league and to shut his critics up.
He has a great running game, a returning elite receiver in Andre Johnson, and a great defense on the other side of the ball. All of the pieces are in place for Leinart and the Texans to shut up the critics. To not just make the playoffs but to possibly make some noise in the AFC. The only thing more rare then a second chance in professional sports is a third chance. This is where Leinart shows he's either capable of being a starter in the NFL or he is nothing more then a career back up.
I know I kind of rambled a bit but basically use this thread to discuss the Texans situation, Leinart, and the beauty of a second chance in pro sports.
If the season were to end today, the Houston Texans would be the number one seed in the AFC. That is despite the fact they have played much of the season without two of their best players in Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. You can now add another player to that list of injured stars, Matt Schaub. Schaub has a lisfranc injury that is almost certain to knock him out of action for the rest of the season, with an outside shot of him being able to return for the playoffs. With this injury people are now questioning whether or not the first place Texans can even make the playoffs.
Enter Matt Leinart. The former Heisman Trophy winner at USC who was the number 10 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The guy who was supposed to lead the Cardinals out of obscurity as their franchise quarterback, only to be replaced by veteran Kurt Warner after a couple sub par seasons. Leinart showed flashes in Arizona but not nearly enough to warrant keeping the job over Warner. In 2010 with Warner out of the picture Leinart seemed poised to take the reigns of the franchise back over, only to be cut in favor of Derek Anderson, Max Hall, and John Skelton. As embarrassing as that is, to his credit, Leinart didn't pack it in.
He found a home with the Texans as their backup quarterback. This offseason when it was speculated he would go to Seattle to compete for the starting job, Leinart instead stayed loyal to the team who picked him up when he was at the lowest point of his career and resigned with Houston to again back up Schaub. After riding the pine for all 16 games last year, Leinart is now being called upon to take over the reigns as the starter and lead the Texans to the playoffs. He has a second chance to show he is capable of being a starting quarterback in this league and to shut his critics up.
He has a great running game, a returning elite receiver in Andre Johnson, and a great defense on the other side of the ball. All of the pieces are in place for Leinart and the Texans to shut up the critics. To not just make the playoffs but to possibly make some noise in the AFC. The only thing more rare then a second chance in professional sports is a third chance. This is where Leinart shows he's either capable of being a starter in the NFL or he is nothing more then a career back up.
I know I kind of rambled a bit but basically use this thread to discuss the Texans situation, Leinart, and the beauty of a second chance in pro sports.