Heisman busts: 12 biggest Heisman Trophy winners who flamed out in the NFL

Like Tim Tebow, Matt Leinart was an incredible college quarterback whose game did not translate to the professional level. While Tebow was an inaccurate, run-first quarterback, Leinart lacked the athleticism and arm strength to be much more of anything than a glorified clipboard holder throughout his eight-year NFL career with four teams.

The 2004 Heisman Trophy winner was taken No. 10 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL Draft. The idea was that he was eventually going to take over for the supposed stopgap starter in Kurt Warner. Leinart started 11 games for the 2006 Cardinals, but that would be Dennis Green‘s last season in Glendale. Ken Whisenhunt would take over in 2007 and things did change.

Leinart would break his collarbone in 2007, allowing Warner the opportunity to start consistently once again. Fate would have it that Warner would lead the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl in 2008 with Leinart serving as his backup. While he was supposed to be Warner’s successor once he retired after the 2009 NFL season, Leinart couldn’t beat out Derek Anderson in fall camp.

Leinart was released and then served as a backup for the Houston Texans, the Oakland Raiders and the Buffalo Bills before retiring in 2013. He played in 33 games, completing 57.1 percent of his passes for 4,065 yards, 16 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. By not having elite weapons around him as he did at USC, Leinart did not have the physical makeup to lead the Cardinals.