Kurt Warner

Kurt Warner

Kurt Warner during a 2007 speech.
No. 13     Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: June 22, 1971 (1971-06-22) (age 38)
Place of birth: Burlington, Iowa
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	Weight: 214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
College: Northern Iowa
Undrafted in 1994
Debuted in 1998 for the St. Louis Rams
Career history
As player: Green Bay Packers (1994)* Iowa Barnstormers (AFL) (1995–1997) Amsterdam Admirals (NFLE) (1998) St. Louis Rams (1998–2003) New York Giants (2004) Arizona Cardinals (2005–present) *Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
GFC Player of the Year (1993) 4× Pro Bowl selection (1999, 2000, 2001, 2008) 2× AP NFL MVP (1999, 2001) 3× NEA MVP (1999, 2001, 2008) PFWA MVP (1999) 2× First-team All-Pro (1999, 2001) Super Bowl MVP (XXXIV) Super Bowl champion (XXXIV) Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (2008)
Career NFL statistics as of 2009
Pass attempts	3,929
Pass completions	2,578
Percentage	65.6
TD-INT	202-125
Passing yards	31,309
QB Rating	93.6
Stats at NFL.com

Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner (born June 22, 1971) is the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994. He played college football at Northern Iowa.

Warner first reached fame for his highly successful stint with the St. Louis Rams from 1998-2003, where he won two NFL MVP awards in 1999 and 2001^[1], as well as the Super Bowl MVP award in Super Bowl XXXIV.^[2] He also led the 2008 Arizona Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII (the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl berth), and owns the three biggest single-game passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history. Warner is ranked third all-time in career passer rating with a 93.5 mark, behind Steve Young and Peyton Manning.^[3][4] Statistically, he is also the second-most accurate quarterback in NFL history (trailing only Chad Pennington), with a career completion percentage of 65.4%.^[5]. He also holds the highest completion percentage in a single game during regular season, at 92.3% (24/26), on 9/20/09, against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Early life

Born in Burlington, Iowa, Warner played football at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and went on to the University of Northern Iowa. At UNI, Warner was third on the Panthers' depth chart until his senior year. When Warner was finally given the chance to start, he was named the Gateway Conference's Offensive Player of the Year.

Professional career

Arena Football

After completing his college career, Warner was not drafted by an NFL team. He received an invitation to try out for the Green Bay Packers' training camp in 1994, but was released before the regular season began; Warner was competing for a spot against Brett Favre, Mark Brunell and former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. While Kurt was with the Green Bay Packers, the head coach was Mike Holmgren and the quarterbacks coach was Steve Mariucci^[6], the San Francisco 49ers head coach in 1999. After Warner was released, Mariucci had told him that he knew Warner had enormous potential but was not ready to be an NFL quarterback yet.

It was at this time that Warner famously stocked shelves at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls for $5.50 an hour.^[7] He also returned to Northern Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant coach with the football team, all the while still hoping to get another tryout with an NFL team. With no NFL teams willing to give him a chance, Warner turned to the Arena Football League in 1995 and signed with the Iowa Barnstormers. Warner was named to the AFL's All-Arena first team in both 1996 and 1997 after he led the Barnstormers to Arena Bowl appearances in both seasons. Warner's performance during his (relatively short) stay in the AFL was so impressive that, years later, he would be named twelfth on a list of the twenty best Arena Football players of all time.^[8]

Before the 1997 Arena season, Warner requested and got a tryout with the Chicago Bears, but an injury to his throwing elbow caused by a scorpion sting sustained during his honeymoon prevented him from attending.

St. Louis Rams

In 1998, Warner was finally signed by an NFL franchise, the St. Louis Rams, and was allocated to NFL Europe's Amsterdam Admirals, where he would lead the league in touchdowns and passing yards.^[9] Incidentally, his backup at the time was Jake Delhomme, another famous rags-to-riches quarterback who is now the starting QB for the Carolina Panthers. Returning to the United States for the season, Warner spent the 1998 campaign as St. Louis' third-string quarterback behind Tony Banks and Steve Bono.

1999 season

After releasing Banks and Bono following the 1998 season, the Rams signed free agent Trent Green to be their starting QB, and Warner was promoted to second string. When Green tore his ACL in a preseason game, Warner took over as the Rams' tentative starter. St. Louis coach Dick Vermeil was initially concerned with the team's situation at quarterback after Green's injury, but with the support of running back Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim, and Ricky Proehl, Warner put together one of the top seasons by a quarterback in NFL history, throwing for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 65.1%. The Rams' high-powered offense was nicknamed "The Greatest Show on Turf" and registered the first in a string of three consecutive 500-point seasons, an NFL record.

Warner threw three touchdown passes in each of the first three NFL starts; he is the only NFL quarterback in history to accomplish that feat. Warner drew more attention in the Rams' fourth game of the season, a home game against the San Francisco 49ers (who had been NFC West division champions for 12 of the previous 13 seasons). The Rams had lost 17 of their previous 18 meetings with the 49ers, but Warner proceeded to throw a touchdown pass on each of the Rams' first three possessions of the game, and four TDs in the first half alone, to propel the Rams to a 28–10 halftime lead on the way to a 42–20 victory. Warner finished the game with five touchdown passes, giving him 14 in four games and the Rams a 4–0 record.

Warner's breakout season from a career in anonymity was so unexpected that Sports Illustrated featured him on their October 18 cover with the caption "Who IS this guy?" ^[10] He was named the 1999 NFL MVP at the season's end.

In the NFL playoffs, Warner ultimately led the Rams to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory against the Tennessee Titans. In the big game, he threw for two touchdowns and a Super Bowl-record 414 passing yards, including a critical 73-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce when the game was tied with just over two minutes to play. Warner also set a Super Bowl record by attempting 45 passes without a single interception. For his performance, Warner was awarded the Super Bowl MVP, becoming the sixth player to win both the league MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards in the same year. The others are Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith, and Steve Young.

2000 season

Warner started the 2000 season where he had left off in his record-setting '99 campaign, racking up 300 or more passing yards in each of his first 6 games (tying Steve Young's record) and posting 19 touchdown passes in that stretch. Warner broke his hand and missed the middle of the season, but Trent Green filled in ably and the Warner/Green duo led the Rams to the highest team passing yard total in NFL history, with 5,232 net yards. Warner and Green's combined gross passing yard total was 5,492, which, if held by just one player, would surpass the single-season record set by Dan Marino (5,084 yards). In contrast to his previous season, however, Warner's turnover rate drastically increased in 2000, as he threw an interception in 5.2% of his attempts (compared to just 2.6% in 1999). And due to a very poor defensive unit, the Rams were not the same elite team they had been the year before; they were eliminated from the playoffs in the wild card round by the New Orleans Saints despite one of the most productive offensive years by an NFL team. In response to the disappointing season, nine of the Rams' eleven defensive starters would be cut during the offseason, and Trent Green was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

2001 season

Warner quickly returned to MVP form in 2001. Although his performance lagged behind his 1999 performance, he amassed a league-high 36 touchdown passes and 4,830 passing yards, a total third only to Dan Marino and Drew Brees all-time. Warner's penchant for turnovers carried over from 2000, as he tossed a career-high 22 interceptions (despite completing a career-high 68.7% of his passes), but he still led "The Greatest Show on Turf" to its third consecutive 6–0 start (becoming the first NFL team to do, matched by the 2005-2007 Indianapolis Colts), an NFL-best 14–2 record, and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI. Warner was also named the NFL MVP for the second time in three seasons, giving the Rams their third winner in as many years (running back Marshall Faulk won in 2000).

In Super Bowl XXXVI, Warner threw for 365 yards (the 3rd-highest total in Super Bowl history) and a passing touchdown along with a rushing touchdown, but his rhythm was largely disrupted by New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's defensive game plan, and he tossed two costly interceptions which helped stake the heavy-underdog Patriots to a 2-touchdown lead. After falling behind to the Patriots 17–3, though, the Rams rallied to tie the game late in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard Warner QB sneak touchdown run and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Warner to Ricky Proehl. However, despite the courageous comeback, the game ended in a loss for Warner and the Rams when Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, giving the Patriots the first of three Super Bowl wins in four years.

2002–2003 seasons

Warner began the 2002 season as the Rams' starter, but he played poorly, throwing seven interceptions against only one touchdown as the team went 0–3. In the St. Louis' fourth game, against the Dallas Cowboys, Warner broke a finger on his throwing hand; despite attempting to come back later in the season, his injury only allowed him to play two more games (both losses). In contrast to his 103.4 career passer rating entering the season, Warner posted a minuscule 67.4 rating in 2002. The following season, Warner was replaced as the Rams' starting quarterback for good after fumbling six times in the team's opening-day game against the New York Giants. Warner later revealed that he had previously broken his hand and it had not fully healed, making it more difficult to hold on to the football. [4] His successor as the Rams' starting quarterback, Marc Bulger (another relatively unheralded quarterback coming out of college), stepped into the breach and played well upon replacing Warner; Bulger would go on to be named to two Pro Bowls and is currently third all-time in career completion percentage (trailing only Warner and Chad Pennington.)

New York Giants

2004 season

The Rams released Warner on June 1, 2004, and two days later, he signed a two-year deal with the New York Giants. Warner started the 2004 season as the Giants' starting quarterback, winning five of his first seven games, but following several poor performances and a two-game losing streak, highly-touted rookie quarterback Eli Manning was given the starting job. The Giants had a 5–4 win-loss record at the time of Warner's benching, finishing at 6–10 overall (going only 1–6 under Manning).

Arizona Cardinals

2005 season

In early 2005, Warner signed a one-year, $4-million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and was quickly named the starter by coach Dennis Green. Warner posted three relatively mediocre performances before injuring his groin and being replaced by former starter Josh McCown. McCown performed well enough in the two games Warner missed that Green named McCown the starter for the remainder of the season.

But after McCown struggled in two straight games, Green re-inserted Warner into the starting line-up. After playing fairly well in two consecutive losses (passing for a total of nearly 700 yards), Warner defeated his former team, the Rams, by a score of 38–28. He passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns while posting a quarterback rating of 115.9. Warner's season ended in Week 15 when he partially tore his MCL.

Warner signed a new three-year deal with the Cardinals on February 14, 2006. The deal had a base salary of $18 million and, with performance incentives, could have been worth as much as $22 million.

2006 season

In Week One of the 2006 NFL season, Warner won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns in a win over San Francisco. Two weeks later, Warner passed the 20,000-yard passing milestone in his 76th game, the second-quickest of any player in NFL history (Warner accomplished the feat in one game more than it took record-holder Dan Marino).

After three subpar games in Weeks 2–4, Warner was replaced at quarterback by rookie Matt Leinart in the fourth quarter of Week 4. Then-coach Dennis Green stated that Warner would be the backup quarterback for the remainder of the season. In Week 16, Leinart went down with a shoulder injury against the 49ers, forcing Warner to see his first action since Week 4. Warner filled in nicely, as he was able to hang on for the Cardinals win. In Week 17 against the San Diego Chargers, Warner started again in place of the injured Leinart, throwing for 365 yards (which led the NFL for that week) and a touchdown, though the Chargers were able to hang on for a 27–20 win.

2007 season

Matt Leinart was again given the starting quarterback job at the start of the 2007 season. But in the third game of the season, against the Baltimore Ravens, Warner came off the bench to relieve an ineffective Leinart during the 4th quarter with the Ravens leading 23–6 at the beginning of the period. He would lead a furious comeback, as he completed 15 of 20 passes for 258 yds and 2 TDs. This brought Arizona to a tie game (23–23), though Arizona would go on to lose the game 26–23 after Baltimore kicked a last-second field goal.

On September 30, 2007, during the week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Warner relieved Leinart again, following another ineffective start by Leinart. Warner finished with 14/21 for 132 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions, while Leinart re-entered the game in the 4th quarter and led the Cardinals to their final touchdown. After Leinart was placed on injured reserve, Warner was named starter for the remainder of the 2007 season ^[11]. Warner passed for a career-high 484 yards against the 49ers in a 37–31 loss on November 25, but had a fumble in the end zone in overtime that was recovered by Tully Banta-Cain to lose the game. However, the following week showed an improvement for Warner and the Cardinals, as the above-mentioned victory over the Browns brought his team to 6–6 and kept them in the chase for the NFC Wild Card playoff spot.

Warner finished the 2007 season with 27 passing touchdowns, just one shy of the Cardinals franchise record. Warner's performance earned him a $1 million dollar bonus for the year, and he fell just short of attaining a 90.0+ passer rating, which would have given him an extra $500,000. Nonetheless, Warner's 3,417 passing yards, 27 touchdown passes, and 89.8 passer rating were all his best since the 2001 season.

2008 season

Matt Leinart was named the Cardinals' starting QB going into the 2008 off-season, but Ken Whisenhunt stated that it would be very possible for Warner to be the starter before Week 1 of the regular season. Indeed, Warner was named the starter on August 30, 2008. That season, Warner had 4,583 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and a completion percentage of almost 70%.^[12] Warner also received FedEx Air Player of the Week honors for his performance during weeks 9 and 11 of the season.

On December 7, 2008, Warner led the Cardinals to a 34–10 win over his former team, the Rams, securing for the Cardinals the NFC West Division title and their first playoff berth since 1998. It was the Cardinals' first division title since 1975 and third of the post-merger era. As a result, the Cardinals would play only their second home playoff game ever, as they had never played a home playoff game in St. Louis despite winning two division titles. On December 16, 2008 Warner was named the starting quarterback for the NFC team in the 2009 Pro Bowl.

2009 playoffs

On January 3, 2009, Warner led the Cardinals in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons 30–24 at home in the first round the playoffs. During the game Warner went 19 for 32, a completion percentage of 59.4%, for 271 yards. He threw two touchdowns and one interception.^[13] This win represented the first time the Cardinals had won a post-season home game since the 1947 NFL Championship Game.

On January 10, 2009, Warner led the Cardinals in their 20-point defeat of the Carolina Panthers 33–13 in Charlotte, North Carolina in the second round of the playoffs. During the game Warner went 22 for 32, a completion percentage of 65.6%, for 220 yards. He threw 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. This win represented the first time the Cardinals won a game on the East Coast that entire season.

On January 18, 2009, Warner threw for 279 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles to help lead the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in history. Warner is the second quarterback to make Super Bowl starts with two different teams joining Craig Morton (1970 Dallas Cowboys and 1977 Denver Broncos). He also became the third quarterback in NFL history to win a conference championship with two different teams, following Craig Morton and Earl Morrall.

In Warner's third career Super Bowl appearance, February 1, 2009, the Cardinals lost Super Bowl XLIII 27–23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Warner now has a career 1–2 record as a starter in Super Bowls. Despite losing, Kurt Warner still managed to throw for 377 yards (the 2nd-highest total in Super Bowl history), completed 72% of his passes, and had a quarterback rating of 112.3. Warner has now recorded the three highest single-game passing yardage totals in the history of the Super Bowl, as well joining Joe Montana, John Elway, Terry Bradshaw, and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks to throw a touchdown pass in three different Super Bowls. This appearance also maintained Warner's perfect record of taking his team to the Super Bowl every year that he has played as the starting quarterback during all regular and post season games. ^[14]

2009 Season

Warner announced his desire to return to the Cardinals for the 2009 season. The Cardinals offered him a two-year contract worth around $20 million but Warner was looking for a contract that would pay him about $14 million a year and the two sides could not come to an agreement. On February 27, 2009 Warner became a free agent^[15] and went on to have talks with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers offered Warner a contract worth more than that offered by the Cardinals. On March 4, Warner re-signed with the Cardinals to a two-year deal^[16] worth $23 million total, $4 million for each of the next two years, with a $15 million signing bonus.^[17] Warner underwent arthroscopic hip surgery to repair a torn labrum on March 17, 2009.^[18] On September 20, 2009, Warner broke the NFL’s single-game record for completion percentage in the regular season, completing 24 of 26 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Warner's 92.3 percent completion rate broke the previous NFL record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1993. On November 1, 2009, Warner threw a career-high equalling 5 interceptions during a 34-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers. During the same game Warner became the first quarterback in the NFL to throw for over 14,000 yards with two different teams. On November 8, 2009, Warner equalled his career-high of 5 touchdown passes in a single game during a 41-21 victory over the Chicago Bears. This performance led to Warner being named both the NFC Offensive Player of the Week^[19] and the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week.^[20] On November 15, 2009, Warner reached a career milestone with his 200th touchdown pass during a 31-20 win against the Seattle Seahawks.^[21]

Career stats

NFL records

• 2nd Highest Average Passing Yards Per Game, Career (Min. 100 games) - 260.4 yards/game (Peyton Manning is first)^[22]
• Highest completion percentage in a single game (regular season) - 92.3% (24/26) (9/20/09) ^[23]
• Most Yards Passing, Super Bowl (Game) - 414 yards vs. Tennessee Titans (only QB to pass for 400+ yards in the Super Bowl; also owns 2nd and 3rd highest yardage total in Super Bowl with 377 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and 365 against the New England Patriots). ^[24][25]
• Most Yards Passing, Super Bowl (Career) - 1,156 yards.
• Most Yards Passing, Playoffs (Single Season) - 1,147 yards (in 2009).
• Most touchdown passes in a single postseason - 11 (in 2009, tied w/Joe Montana, who did it in 1990)
• Highest Rate of Games w/300+ Yards Passing (Min. 100 games played) - 45.2% (47/104)^[26]
• Most Consecutive Games w/300+ Yards Passing - 6 (tied w/ Steve Young and Rich Gannon)^[27]
• Most Games with a perfect Passer Rating, Career (regular season only) - 3 (tied w/Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger)^[28]
• Only NFL quarterback to throw 40 touchdowns and win a Super Bowl in the same season (1999).
• One of only 5 players in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards at least 50 times. Warner did it in 113 games, also a record.
• Only quarterback to throw for over 14,000 yards with two different teams.
• At age 37, Warner became the oldest quarterback to throw for 30 touchdowns in a season (2008).
• Tied Dan Marino as the fastest player to pass for 30,000 yards. He accomplished this in 114 games.

Personal life

Kurt and Brenda Warner in February 2005

Kurt Warner was born to parents Gene and Sue Warner on June 22, 1971, and has a brother, Matt Warner. Warner's parents divorced when he was 6. His father, Gene Warner remarried a year later. Warner's stepmother, Mimi Warner, also had a son named Matt (Post). The three boys formed a close relationship soon thereafter. He graduated in 1990 from Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, where he distinguished himself as a quarterback of the school's Class 3A football team.

During college, Warner met his future wife, the former Brenda Carney Meoni; they married on October 11, 1997. Brenda was a United States Marine Corps veteran and a divorcee with two children when she and Kurt wed. She had also recently lost her parents, Larry and Jenny Carney, when their Arkansas home was destroyed by a 1996 tornado. After Kurt was cut from the Packers' training camp in 1994, he got a job working the night shift as a stock boy at a local Hy-Vee grocery store, in addition to his work as an assistant-coach at Northern Iowa. While Warner was working as an assistant-coach, he and Brenda were living in Brenda's parent's basement in Cedar Falls, IA. Warner was still hoping to get an NFL tryout, but with that possibility appearing dim and the long hours at the Hy-Vee for minimum wage taking their toll, Warner began his Arena League career.

Kurt Warner appearing in a Civitan International PSA.

Warner officially adopted Brenda's two children, son Zachary and daughter Jesse, after they became married. The Warners also have 5 children of their own: sons Elijah and Kade, daughter Jada, and twin girls Sierra Rose and Sienna Rae.

Both Kurt and his wife are active Christians. Kurt's faith first emerged on the international scene following the Rams' Super Bowl victory, where he was named the game's MVP:

Mike Tirico from ABC: "Kurt, first things first — tell me about the final touchdown pass to Isaac."
Kurt Warner: "Well, first things first, I've got to thank my Lord and Savior up above — thank you, Jesus!"^[29]

Nine years later, upon leading the Arizona Cardinals to the franchise's first ever Super Bowl, Warner's response was similar:

Terry Bradshaw from FOX: "You're not going to like this, but you're the third oldest quarterback to ever play in the Super Bowl. How does that make you feel?"
Kurt Warner: "Everybody's going to be tired of hearing this, but I never get tired of saying it. There's one reason that I'm standing up on this stage today. That's because of my Lord up above. I've got to say thanks to Jesus, you knew I was going to do it, but I've got to do it. And secondly, I've gotta say thanks to you guys (motioning to the Arizona fans); when nobody else believed in us, when nobody else believed in me, you guys did. And we're going to the Super Bowl!"^[30]

Warner has also appeared in several public service announcements for Civitan International, promoting their volunteer efforts and their work with the developmentally disabled.^[31]

On October 24, 2006, he was featured in a political advertisement opposing a bill supporting embryonic stem cell research in Missouri. The advertisement was in response to a pro-embryonic research ad featuring Michael J. Fox. He appeared in the advertisement with James Caviezel, Patricia Heaton, Jeff Suppan, and Mike Sweeney. The advertisement aired during Game 4 of the 2006 World Series.

Warner has devoted time and money to his First Things First Foundation, the name of which was derived from his interview after winning the Super Bowl in 1999. The foundation has been involved with numerous projects for causes such as children's hospitals, people with developmental disabilities and assisting single parents.^[32] Warner's work both on and off the field resulted in him being awarded the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award 2008.^[33] Warner was selected by USA Weekend as the winner of its annual Most Caring Athlete Award for 2009.^[34]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kurt Warner

• List of NFL quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards in a game
• List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
• List of 300-yard passing games by NFL quarterbacks
• List of Arena Football League and National Football League players
• NFL QB Playoff records as starters

References

Further reading

• Warner, Kurt & Silver, Michael, (2000). All Things Possible. San Francisco: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-251717-1 (cloth) ISBN 0-06-251718-X (paper back).

External links

• Kurt Warner at NFL.com
• Kurt Warner at ESPN.com
• Kurt Warner at azcardinals.com
• Kurt Warner at ArenaFan Online
• Pro-Football-Reference.com: Kurt Warner