Leinart disappoints Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Wednesday he was “disappointed” in Matt Leinart after Internet photos surfaced of the quarterback partying over the weekend at his Phoenix-area home.

In one of the shots, which first appeared on the websites thedirty.com and TMZ.com, Leinart posed with four young women in a hot tub. In another, he assisted a woman in using a beer bong.

“Matt called me early Monday morning to tell me that those pictures were coming out,” Whisenhunt told reporters Wednesday at the league meetings. “He was obviously upset about it. But to me that’s progress, the fact you did communicate with me.

“We talked about the level of scrutiny, not only that position, but who he is just because of having played at a high-profile college team and having been a Heisman Trophy winner. You would be naive if you didn’t think those things would be of interest. We obviously reinforced there’s a standard we hold all our players to that we expect them to keep. I’m obviously disappointed that those pictures showed up.”

Despite his disappointment, Whisenhunt praised Leinart, a 24-year-old Heisman Trophy winner out of USC, for his effort this off-season.