Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart, has become an avid pickleball player in his post-football career.

Like many athletes, Leinart has found that pickleball is the best sport to maintain his health, connect with friends and family, and stay competitive in the process.

“I’m 42 years old and I still believe I’m young. Pickleball was a sport that was really easy for me to transition to play with my wife, friends, and playing competitively, casually, socially,” explained Leinart, during an exclusive interview with Pickleball.com. “That’s the great thing about pickleball, it allows you to do that.”

Leinart believes that his quarterback-specific skills give him a slight advantage on the court. 

“Footwork and lateral movement. Being a quarterback, you’ve got to be able to move on the fly and have good reaction times, and pickleball is crazy at the net with quick hands. There’s a lot of cross over there,” he said. “Any sport I’m playing, I’m a hyper competitive person. I want to win and I want to compete, so that natural mindset and mentality always carries over into other things I do. Even being a dad, I want to compete to be the best dad I can be.” 

Leinart is also a part owner of MLP's New Jersey 5s.

He has attended several tournaments to watch the pros live. 

“I got to sit in the box with the team and be a part of it. I’m just a huge fan of pickleball, and I hope it continues to grow,” he emphasized. “People need to go watch it and get to know these personalities and athletes who are so incredible to watch up close and personal.” 

Leinart has also teamed up with Ensure Max Protein, the official protein shake of the PPA Tour, to help advocate for health and wellness on and off the court. 

“Physically, your muscle health is so important because you can lose that pretty quickly as you get older,” he explained. “Pickleball is one of those easy sports where I can stay active, and I can combine it with Ensure Max Protein and fuel myself properly.”

Leinart is all-in on pickleball’s success.

He recommends everyone pick up a paddle and play, even fellow pro athletes. 

“That’s the message to other athletes, whether they’re currently playing now or they’re retired and trying to find something else to do. It’s a fun sport, it’s a social sport, you can play it at all ages, and it fills a void for me where I get to play a sport with teammates again,” he said. “I’m sure as pickleball continues to grow, you’ll see more and more athletes cross over, not just from football, but from every sport.”

Leinart is another outstanding ambassador for the game.

He knows pickleball has a bright future.

“The more it’s on TV, the more people who go to the matches and see firsthand just how incredible and competitive these athletes are,” he said. “Give it a shot. Go watch it. Go buy a couple of paddles and go play with your wife, your friend, your brother, your cousin, your kids, whoever. Go play and you’ll see how fun the game is and how competitive it can be.”

So take Leinart’s advice. Hit the court and find a PPA Tour stop near you. 

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