ARIZONA -- Former Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart revealed he was nearly traded to the New York Giants back in 2010.
Leinart - Arizona's first-round pick and tenth overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft - didn't quite pan out in the desert, and when appearing on Throwbacks, Leinart walked through the trade talks.
"There were rumors–and I remember going up to coach Ken Whisenhunt’s office-- they were trying to trade me to the New York Football Giants to back up Eli [Manning]. This was 2010," said Leinart.
"Now I ended up getting cut and I signed with the Texans like two/three days later. But there conversations, and I'm almost positive about this, that he [Whisenhunt] was like, 'Hey, we've been talking to the Giants about potentially trading you.'
"... It was the Giants. My agent says they liked me. They were interested because - I might be making this up now - Eli, we're similar quarterbacks. Drop-back quarterbacks, didn't move, it was that type of deal. At that point I just wanted to be released so I could go anywhere or have options - so that almost happened. I was almost traded to the Giants."
Leinart says he also talked with Kyle Shanahan before being released - who was with Washington at the time.
Full clip:
Matt Leinart remembers when he was almost traded to the New York Giants to back up Eli Manning. #nissanpartner pic.twitter.com/CaZ4VqXUR5
— Throwbacks (@ThrowbacksShow) June 20, 2025
Leinart would have won a ring with the Giants had he stayed on for a few seasons, as New York won the Super Bowl in 2012. He wouldn't have played much, however, as Manning didn't miss a single regular season game from 2005-16.
Unfortunately, Leinart wasn't able to accomplish much during his time with the Cardinals, which he actually ended up apologizing for in a personal video ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
"This message is to all the Arizona Cardinals fans," Leinart said. "We are here in Green Bay, Wisconsin for the draft. Honestly, it brings back a lot of great memories.
"2006 I was drafted 10th overall to Arizona. It really, truly changed my life forever and I just wanted to tell all you fans, the Bidwill's, and everybody in that organization that - I'm sorry. Truly, I'm sorry it didn't work out. It's a shame."
There's no hard feelings on either side after things didn't work out, though it'd be interesting to see his career trajectory if Leinart ended up in New York after.