Kurt Warner is an NFL legend and a great human being. His story of perseverance and patience will be told for generations to come. Here is a great story of rags-to-riches and sports improbability.
After college, Warner failed to make a spot on an NFL team. Rejected by the Packers, he went back to college as an assistant coach to his alma mater's football program. During this period, he also stocked shelves at a grocery store for $5.50 an hour. A couple years later, he finally got a chance to play football in the Arena Football League (AFL). Hey, we all have to start somewhere, right?
Warner wasn't too shabby in the AFL and eventually caught the attention of the St. Louis Rams and they signed him as their third option at the quarterback( QB) position. The following year, a freak acl injury to their starting QB, Trent Green, made way for Warner to lead the team. This is where you boys and girls should take notes. Presented by this once in a life time opportunity, Kurt Warner fully took advantage of it and lead the Rams to 2 improbable Superbowl appearances and they actually won one too. The Greatest Show on Turf, as they were called, set an NFL record of 3 consecutive 500-point seasons. Warner himself threw for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 65.1% in his 1st season with the Rams.
After the Rams, he spent a mediocre season with the Giants before being replaced by Eli Manning. Instead of retiring, he signed with the AZ Cardinals and competed against rookie Matt Leinart for the starting QB job which he eventually lost. He kept his composure and waited for his next chance. During this mediocre season, we all witnessed NFL futility at its fineness when the Cards imploded against the Bears and subsequently the infamous Dennis Green's 'They were who we thought they were' post-game meltdown. The Bears eventually won the NFC and lost to the Colts in the Superbowl.
Finally in 2007, the Cards fortune turned positive when Whisenhunt took over the team. However, the starting QB position was still Matt Leinart's to lose and Warner to gain. Early in the season, Leinart broke his collarbone and so another opportunity presented itself to Warner. Unfortunately, he played injured with an elbow cast for the rest of the season and the Cards finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
During the 2008 pre-season, Whisenhunt refused to name a starting QB and so Leinart and Warner duked it out. Oh the drama! Leirnart had an early edge until he completely flopped during the last pre-season game. Finally, Warner's patience paid off and he won the starting QB job. It was a roller coaster season, however, the Cards somehow won the NFC West and made the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Their cinderella season continued as Warner and his arsenal of Fitzgerald and Boldin bulldozered their opponents in the playoffs and eventually earned an appearence in the Superbowl. Yes, that's right, Kurt Warner lead the Cards to their first EVER superbowl appearance since 1925. Unfortunately, they lost to the steelers on a miracle catch by santonio holmes during the closing minute of the game. Irregardless, it was a great season for the Cards and their fans. This pretty much cemented Warner as a future hall of famer inductee and as the Cards' greatest player that ever played the QB position.
The off-season in 2009 was filled with drama where the Cards wouldn't commit to paying Warner the max contract even though he did lead them into the superbowl. So the fiasco began with Warner visiting the Niners campus along with all the media hoopla's. Of course, the Cards eventually caved in and paid Warner his worth. The first half of the 2009 season was a little shaky for the superbowl-hungovered NFC champ Cards as they won more games away than at home. They eventually adjusted their gameplans and finished strong and won their 2nd NFC West title in a row and earned another playoffs appearance. The Cards had a wild west shootout against the Packers in an NFC wildcard game. They actually won this game on a wild defensive fumble/interception play that resulted in the game winning TD. Disappointedly, the Cards was eliminated against the Saints in the NFC semi-final game.
So there you have it, the Kurt Warner journey from grocery store clerk to NFL legend (or at least as a Ram and Cardinal). What can you learn from this? Well, for one, anything is possible. Secondly, believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams and goals. Be patient and ready to excel when the dream opportunity presents itself. For Cardinals fans, Kurt Warner brought hope and excitement to a football team that used to be the doormat and model of NFL futility. I wish you health and prosperity on your post-nfl journey in life, Kurt Warner!
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Kurt Warner's Achievements and Accolades as a football player:
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2009 | |
|---|---|
| Pass attempts | 4,070 |
| Pass completions | 2,666 |
| Percentage | 65.5 |
| TD-INT | 208-128 |
| Passing yards | 32,344 |
| QB Rating | 93.7 |
