Former quarterback Matt Leinart attends the Pac-12 Champonship game at Allegiant Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NY Giants Considered Trading for Former First-round QB in 2010 to Back up Eli Manning

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 1:00 PM ET

It’s always interesting to learn of what might have been for the New York Giants rosters over the years in terms of the moves that weren’t made but almost were.

One such example of this came in 2010, after the Giants, in the market for a new backup quarterback to starter Eli Manning following the loss of David Carr in free agency, were reportedly in talks with the Arizona Cardinals about acquiring Matt Leinart via trade.

Such is the claim made by the former signal caller during an episode of Throwbacks with Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara .

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

"They were trying to trade me to the New York Football Giants... to back up Eli," Leinart said.

"I ended up getting cut, and I signed with the Texans like three days later. That's when I went to Houston.

"But 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.”

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The trade never materialized, of course, as the Giants signed Sage Rosenfels and Jim Sorgi to be Manning’s backups.

But Leinart, who spent mostly four unproductive seasons with the Cardinals and who failed to grab onto the team’s starting assignment following the retirement of Kurt Warner, said he remembered there being conversations about the Cardinals looking to move him via trade.

“I'm almost positive about this -- that (head coach Ken Whisenhunt) was like, 'Hey, we've been talking to the Giants about potentially trading you.'”

Leinart went on to say that he was hoping to be released instead so he could sign with the team that offered him the best deal. That’s ultimately what happened, as he was part of Arizona’s final roster cuts in 2010.

Leinart then signed with the Texans on a one-year contract but didn’t play that season. He re-signed with Houston during the 2011 season and finally got into a game when Matt Schaub, then the Texans starter, suffered an injury.

Leinart would then have stints with the Raiders and Bills, failing to catch on with the later team during the 2013 preseason. He retired shortly thereafter.

Interestingly, the Giants re-signed Carr in 2011, following his one-season stint with the 49ers.