Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara

Latest Episodes:

Desean Jackson Went to Cal to Beat USC, Declares California the High School Football GOAT, Couldn’t Believe the Giants Kicked to Him and His New Doc Go Deep Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Pro Bowler and Head Coach of the Delaware State Hornets Desean Jackson joins the show and Matt Leinart declares him “the one that got away” from USC. Desean discusses his new Prime Video documentary Go Deep: The Desean Jackson story, a film 30 years in the making. The superstar wideout remembers his time at Long Beach Poly as he and Matt reminisce over some of the greatest talents to ever come out of California high school football. Desean reveals why he chose to go to Cal for college instead of USC and how Pete Carroll and the Trojans recruited him. Plus, Jerry tells Desean he was one of the most feared Eagles of all-time as Desean retells the story of the Miracle at the Meadowlands 2 and reveals what it was like to catch a deep ball from Michael Vick.

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New episodes of Throwbacks drop every Thursday. Make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and following on all podcast platforms. Also, make sure you’re locked in on social @ThrowbacksShow on all platforms for highlight moments, bonus content, and to engage with the guys & the Throwbacks community. (http://throwbacksshow.com/)

00:00 Show open

02:24 Wendy’s Greatest Beefs of All-Time: USC vs. Oregon

07:22 Desean Jackson joins the show

07:50 Why Desean was “one of the few that got away” from USC

10:00 Go Deep: The Desean Jackson story was 30 years in the making

12:35 What does Desean hope people get out of his new doc?

16:23 Jerry’s Bet MGM Pick of the Week

19:08 How did Long Beach Poly shape Desean as a young man?

20:54 Matt and Desean remember some Los Angeles high school greats

22:33 Texas vs. Florida vs. California: Best high school football?

23:30 Did Desean really run a 10.5 100m in high school?

24:34 Could Desean have made the MLB?

25:25 When USC recruited Desean in high school

27:23 Desean goal was to go to Cal and beat USC

31:21 Reliving NFL Draft trouble with Andy Reid and Jeff Tedford

33:32 Desean’s decision to enter the NFL Draft early

34:50 Giants fans hate Desean

35:45 Desean relives The Miracle at the Meadowlands 2

38:48 Would Desean rather return a punt for a TD or catch a deep ball?

39:29 The famous Michael Vick pass

40:18 Desean says the new era of collegiate athletes is entitled

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Terrell Owens Says Jerry Rice Is The GOAT, He Would Have Been The Draymond of the NFL and The Notebook is His Favorite Movie of All-Time Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens joins the show and per usual he has a lot to say. TO has a new Amp Sports podcast, Get TO The Point, and he reveals the show’s origin story, what a TO podcast would have looked like in his playing days and how he would have been the NFL’s version of Draymond Green. Owens sings Jerry Rice’s praises and tells the guys how the GOAT got him in trouble at a 49ers walkthrough early in his career. Plus, Terrell tells the stories behind some of his greatest celebrations ever, discusses how he was able to play in Super Bowl XXIX with a broken leg and gives an update on his greatest Beef Ever: Donovan McNabb. Finally Terrell reveals his dream podcast guest, Rachel McAdams, the star of his favorite movie ever The Notebook.

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Vince Young on 2006 Rose Bowl, Heisman Trophy Race with Reggie Bush, New Netflix Doc and Mentoring Shedeur Sanders Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

College Football Hall of Famer and National Champion Vince Young joins Throwbacks with Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara, talking all things Texas Longhorns and his new Netflix documentary Untold: The Testimony of Vince Young. To kick things off Vince details his thoughts when learning his former head coach Jeff Fisher would be participating in the doc, why he felt now was the time to tell his story and more. Plus, Vince and Matt recap their legendary 2006 Rose Bowl for the National Championship, Vince admits his knee was down on the infamous lateral play and explains how impressed he was by Matt’s USC team. Vince chooses his Mount Rushmore for Longhorns football players, reveals what happened when the NCAA tried to give him Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy, Matt names Vince the GOAT college football quarterback and much more in this special Season 3 premiere.

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Uncrustables: Uncrustables sandwiches are ready from your fridge!

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The Best of Kobe Bryant on Throwbacks Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

For Throwbacks there is only one way to celebrate Mamba Day: by throwing back to the greatest Kobe stories ever told on the show. Whether it’s from players who had to guard him or hidden behind the scenes moments where Kobe let his guard down and was just a bro, we have heard every type of Kobe story imaginable on Throwbacks. Jerry remembers the time Kobe bet the Entourage cast on halfcourt shots and paid his debt in the most epic way possible. Or for Matt, there was the time they were just two retired dads chilling in LA. Plus stories from Bonzi Wells, Michael Redd, Micah Nori, Raymond Felton and more on the man, the myth, the legend, The Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant.

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00:00 Show open

02:21 Matt got to know Kobe

04:01 Kobe’s Entourage cameo that never happened

06:40 Matt’s Kobe the Dad story

09:20 Kobe shot halfcourt shots with the Entourage cast for money

12:55 Michael Redd on what made Kobe great

14:36 Micah Nori on coaching against Kobe’s 81 point game

22:45 Matt remembers where he was when Kobe scored 81

25:25 Bonzi Wells on playing against Kobe

30:25 Raymond Felton on Kobe in the GOAT conversation

32:43 NHTSA Game Changing Decisions

38:13 Kobe and Shaq are the Greatest Lakers duo ever

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The Best of Recruiting on Throwbacks Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Everybody dreams of the red carpet treatment that is being recruited as a Division I athlete, and our own Matt Leinart and so many of our Throwbacks guests did just that. Of course, those legendary stories are some of their favorites to tell, and on Throwbacks they pull no punches. From Nick Saban’s ability to predict the future to Mark Ingram, to the running back the GOAT Barry Sanders idolized on his recruiting visit to Oklahoma and so much more. Those moments plus LeSean McCoy being brought to tears thinking about a coach that took a chance on him, plus where weather factored into Matt’s decision making as a California kid and so much more on a special Throwbacks episode.

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00:00 Show open

02:00 Who Matt recruiting to USC

03:13 Matt’s Oklahoma recruiting trip

08:25 Did weather impact Matt’s college choice?

10:27 Nick Saban recruiting Mark Ingram

12:14 Barry Sanders’ Oklahoma State recruiting trip

13:40 The Bush Push was Evan Turner’s Notre Dame recruiting trip

15:42 Why LeSean McCoy chose Pitt

19:22 Why Shawne Merriman stayed home with Maryland

23:43 Michael Redd picked Ohio State over Michigan

24:55 Mark Ingram’s recruiting parties were legendary

30:02 Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, Kevin Love and Mike Beasley took all the money during Evan Turner’s recruiting

32:27 LeSean McCoy’s favorite recruiting visits

34:09 Why Greg Olsen left Notre Dame for Miami

37:20 Arian Foster wants to know how much money Matt made at USC

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The Best of Golf on Throwbacks Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

When Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara came together for Throwbacks they found middle ground at a place they’d never imagined: Golf. Over the course (get it?) of two seasons the guys have bonded with the likes of Mark Wahlberg, Austin Reaves, The Miz, Justin Thomas, Mark Ingram and more about their love of hitting the links. For this special “Best Of” episode of Throwbacks we run back some of the best golf stories over 90 episodes of the show, from golfing with Phil Milkelson with the cast of Entourage, to Matt getting custom clubs with his America's Dumbest costar and bestie Jojo Siwa, there’s just no telling where the stories will go.

A big thank you to our sponsors:

BetMGM: Make It Legendary. Please gamble responsibly. Download the BetMGM App to get started.

KaChava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code THROWBACKS for 15% off your first order.

Uncrustables: Uncrustables sandwiches are ready from your fridge!

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The Best of USC on Throwbacks Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

There are very few college football teams as iconic as the USC Trojans, and luckily for Throwbacks we have one of the greatest Trojans of all-time in Matt Leinart to talk about what it’s like to play for USC. Over the course of the show’s two seasons, Matt has taken the audience behind the scenes discussing some of the hidden moments and letting the world know just how great it was to be the quarterback of the National Champion USC Trojans. Whether it’s a date with Riahnna, or a practice pass to Will Farrell, or looking back at the legendary Bush Push or just what it was like to play with Reggie Bush, Matt tells it all and more on this special edition of Throwbacks.

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Uncrustables: Uncrustables sandwiches are ready from your fridge!

00:00 Show open

02:55 Will Ferrell came to USC practice

05:09 Owen Hanson the cocaine QB joins the team as a walk on

11:43 Reggie Bush was the college football GOAT

12:07 USC was the team of the 2000s

16:44 Matt went on a date with Rihanna

19:46 The night Matt won the Heisman Trophy

20:28 Matt had the most chemistry with Reggie Bush

21:56 The times people asked Matt to un-retire his No. 11 at USC

29:05 Ronnie Lott is on the defensive player Mt. Rushmore

30:09 Ken Stabler is one of the GOAT left handed QBs

30:44 Matt drank with Michael Jordan after the 2006 Rose Bowl loss

32:28 Getting trash talked after winning the Heisman

34:00 Meeting Nick Lachey while playing at USC

41:00 Adam Ray on being at USC during the championship runs

43:29 Matt’s greatest drive in USC history vs. Notre Dame

47:34 Evan Turner went to the Bush Push game during a recruiting visit

50:54 Jared Allen almost transferred to USC

53:23 Charissa Thompson stalked Matt at USC

54:19 Would Mark Ingram’s Alabama have beat Matt’s USC?

56:38 Reggie Bush’s NCAA investigation

1:00:13 Barry Sanders idolized USC running backs

1:01:53 What was it like at USC for Owen Hanson?

1:05:58 USC was the Greatest Ever

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Fortnite, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, DiCaprio, Steph and The Warriors vs. LeBron and More in The Battle of the Decades: Best of the 2010s Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara’s Battle of the Decades continues with a look at the 2010s. A decade of classic movies and prestige TV means the guys are chatting Leonard DiCaprio’s dominance, Breaking Bad vs. Game of Thrones and more. Plus, in the sports world Matt and Jerry end up on opposite sides of the LeBron vs. Steph debate, just like they do on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar debate before the battle. Finally, the guys discuss their favorite memes and social media moments of the decades before naming their MVPs of the 2010s.

A big thank you to our sponsors:

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Uncrustables: Uncrustables sandwiches are ready from your fridge!

00:00 Show open

01:50 Reactions to the best of the 2000s

02:55 Jerry’s NHTSA Speed moment

05:20 The Best Team of the 2010s

07:25 Best Athlete of the 2010s

09:45 Favorite Musician/Artist of the Decade

12:15 Favorite Song of the 2010s

14:45 Best TV Show of the 2010s

21:58 Best Movie of the Decade

25:21 Actor of the 2010s

28:19 Celebrity Crush of the 2010s

32:09 Favorite Fashion Trends of the Decade

35:07 Best Tech Advancement of the 2010s

38:28 Favorite Video Game of the Decade

40:20 Ninja owes Matt Leinart $1,000

43:35 Favorite Social Media Moment/Meme of the 2010s

45:48 MVP of the 2010s

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Jon Heder Remembers Napoleon Dynamite, His Kanye Jay Z Collab and Challenges Matt on Nation’s Dumbest Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

Actor Jon Heder joins the show to talk with Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara about his time alongside Matt on Fox’s new reality game show Nation’s Dumbest. Heder tells the guys what got him to join the show, what were his worst subjects, how it was getting to know the cast and compete against them. Plus, Matt gives Jon a little impromptu trivia on his worst subject: Sports. Then Jon talks his star turn as Napoleon Dynamite, how the movie’s success mirrors that of 2026 hits like Obsession and Backrooms and what it’s like to get back into that character. Finally, Jon talks his infamous collab with Kanye and Jay Z and his latest films Waltzing with Brando and Tapawingo, before Jerry has his own round of trivia.

A big thank you to our sponsors:

BetMGM: Make It Legendary. Please gamble responsibly. Download the BetMGM App to get started.

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Uncrustables: Uncrustables sandwiches are ready from your fridge!

00:00 Show open

01:43 Matt talks the Nation’s Dumbest Premiere

04:35 NHTSA Speed: Matt’s longest runs

07:30 Jon Heder joins the show

10:50 Why did Jon sign up for Nation’s Dumbest

12:25 What were Jon’s best and worst subjects?

14:30 Recap of the first episode of Nation’s Dumbest

17:33 The difference between filming movies and a reality game show

20:35 Matt quizzes Jon on sports

28:48 The origins of Napoleon Dynamite

32:26 How Napoleon Dynamite paved the way for Obsession and Backrooms

35:23 Jon’s reaction to Napoleon Dynamite box office

38:50 Jerry learned the Napoleon Dynamite dance for an audition

41:18 Jerry’s Argentia – Spain pick

42:20 Jon improvised the famous Napoleon Dynamite dance scene

45:05 Jon on getting back into character for a commercial and Cameos

47:20 On being featured on “Ninjas” In Paris by Kanye and Jay Z

51:00 Matt gives Jerry his own Nation’s Dumbest quiz

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The Battle of the Decades: Best of the 2000s Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

What could be better than the 90s? Maybe the 2000s! Matt and Jerry take another trip down memory lane looking at all the best the 2000s had to offer. From Jersey Shore to T-Pain, Jessica Alba and Denzel Washington, and of course including Entourage and the two-time National Champion USC Trojans. Matt and Jerry pick their favorite songs, movies and crushes of the decade, plus they take a look back at all of your reactions to their picks from the Best of the 90s episode as well.

A big thank you to our sponsors:

BetMGM: Make It Legendary. Please gamble responsibly. Download the BetMGM App to get started.

NHTSA: This Moment. Speeding Catches up With You. Paid for by NHTSA.

Uncrustables: Uncrustables sandwiches are ready from your fridge!

KaChava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code THROWBACKS for 15% off your first order.

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