NFL HOF Spotlight: Kurt Warner

This NFL Hall of Fame spotlight focuses on Kurt Warner, a two-time NFL MVP and a one-time Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. Warner was one of the greatest Cinderella Stories in the league’s history. From stocking shelves at a supermarket, he became a truly successful football legend. In his time in the professional league, he played primarily for the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals.

In this article, we’ll uncover Warner’s incredible journey to the top and what made him the football icon that he is today.

From College Backup to Supermarket Staff

A native of Iowa, Warner played football at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids before moving to the University of Northern Iowa. At the university, Warner wasn’t given the starting role till his senior year. He wasn’t even a second backup. However, in his senior year, he showed his quality, earning the Gateway Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. He was also named First-team All-Conference.

Despite having a decent senior year, Warner went undrafted in the 1994 NFL draft. The Green Bay Packers did call him to try out with them but released him before the start of the regular season. Considering they had a solid quarterback roster that included a man like Brett Favre, it was a justified decision. After Warner’s release, he stocked shelves at a supermarket for a meager pay.

In 1995, Warner signed with the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena Football League (AFL) where he impressed. He also had a short spell with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe before moving to St. Louis to join the Rams’ roster.

Professional Football Career

In the 1998 season, his first season in the NFL, Warner was a third-string quarterback. While he had shown promise in the AFL, few expected him to become anything close to legendary. But with two of the quarterbacks above him leaving the team and the replacement getting injured, it was finally Warner’s chance to step up.

“Who Is This Guy?”

Warner moved to a starting role in the 1999 season. He immediately started to soar, throwing three touchdown passes in each of his first three NFL starts—a then-NFL record. He continued to make his way into the headlines as he led the Rams to their first victory over the San Francisco 49ers in 18 games, ending a 17-game losing streak against their division rival.

Warner had quickly become a force and a leading figure in the team. A dark horse, Sports Illustrated featured Warner on their October 18 cover with the caption, “Who Is This Guy?” Together with players like Marshall Faulk, Warner had completely revolutionized the Rams’ offense, which became known as “The Greatest Show On Turf.” Thanks to Warner’s insane passing abilities, the Rams achieved a team-record 526 points in the 1999 season. The team finished the season with a 13-3 record, winning the NFC West for the first time since 1985.

In the end-of-season player leaderboards, Warner’s presence was more than felt. He led the league in passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and passer rating. Deservedly, he was named the NFL MVP. He also claimed the Bert Bell Award for his performance in the 1999 season.

Super Bowl Champion

Having led the team to the NFC West title, the Rams qualified for the playoffs—their first since 1989. In the playoffs, Warner helped the team cruise past the Minnesota Vikings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading them into Super Bowl XXXIV. In the Super Bowl game, Warner turned up again—this time even hotter. He delivered a record-breaking performance, throwing for 414 yards and two touchdowns. His defining moment came with just over two minutes left in a tied game when he launched a 73-yard touchdown pass that sealed the win.

Two seasons later, Warner dropped another MVP-worthy performance. He led the league with 36 touchdown passes, 4,830 passing yards, and a top passer rating of 101.4. He also topped the league in completion percentage for the third straight season. At the award voting, Warner was named the NFL MVP and finished second in the Offensive Player of the Year category—one vote short of teammate Faulk. It was the final season of the Greatest Show on Turf and Warner was still very much the focal point of the explosive offense.

Warner led the Rams to yet another Super Bowl but they were outmuscled by the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots. Warner was the brightest spark for the Rams in that game, throwing for 365 yards, which was the second-highest in Super Bowl history at the time.

Leadership, Quality, and Game-Reading Brilliance

Warner spent one season with the New York Giants before joining the Cardinals in 2005. Despite having his performance dwindle, he returned to elite status in 2008. That season, he helped the Cardinals to their first division title since 1975 and their first playoff berth since 1998. He was the driving force that propelled the team past their playoff challengers and into their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, which they eventually lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But beyond what the stats table suggested, Warner showed far more on the field. He was an excellent leader—the kind of guy whose presence alone is enough to command good performances from teammates. His quick passing ability was some otherworldly stuff. While most quarterbacks take five to seven steps back and wiggle around a little before letting fly, Warner only needed three to five steps. His quickness in releasing the ball told the story of how well he understood the game.

Warner’s career statistics include 32,344 yards, 208 touchdowns, and a 93.7 passer rating.

Career Accolades

Warner achieved everything there was to the NFL. Winning a Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP, and two league MVPs is what most players only dream of. Throughout his illustrious career, he earned four Pro Bowl appearances and was named First-team All-Pro twice.

Warner was a recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2008, the Bert Bell Award in 1999, and the Bart Starr Award in 2010. He is the joint record holder for the most touchdown passes in a single postseason game. Among other honors, he is a member of the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor.

Warner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

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