Matt Leinart Pickleball Journey: Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart has embraced pickleball as a key part of his post-football life. He enjoys the sport for staying healthy, being social, and competing with friends and family. Leinart believes pickleball’s fast pace and court dynamics suit his skills.
Leinart explained, “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. That’s the great thing about pickleball, it allows you to do that.”
Transitioning from Football to Pickleball
Leinart finds that his quarterback experience gives him an edge on the court. He said, “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 added, “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 Major League Pickleball’s New Jersey 5s and has attended several professional tournaments to watch top players in action.
Supporting Health and Wellness
Leinart teamed up with Ensure Max Protein, the official protein shake of the Professional Pickleball Association Tour, to advocate for health and wellness. He said, “Physically, your muscle health is so important because you can lose that pretty quickly as you get older. 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.”
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Encouraging Others to Play
Leinart wants more people, including fellow athletes, to pick up a paddle. He said, “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 added, “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 believes the sport’s popularity will continue to rise. “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.”
Pickleball fans and newcomers alike can follow Leinart’s advice and find a Professional Pickleball Association Tour stop near them to experience the game firsthand.
News in Brief: Matt Leinart Pickleball Journey
Matt Leinart, former NFL quarterback, is now an avid pickleball player. He praises the sport for fitness, fun, and competition. Part-owner of MLP’s New Jersey 5s, he promotes health with Ensure Max Protein and encourages all ages to play. Leinart sees pickleball growing as more athletes join.
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