Notes & Quotes: Kurt Warner

Class of 2017 Enshrinee

Notes

Prior to his illustrious NFL career, Warner played quarterback at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids where he earned all-state honors. Warner then attended the University of Northern Iowa where as a senior, his lone season as a starter, he led the Panthers to a playoff berth. Warner’s impressive season paved the way for Gateway Conference Player of the Year honors. Hailing from Burlington, Iowa, Warner is the first Iowa native to receive the Pro Football Hall of Fame honor.

 Undrafted in 1994, Warner endured a humbling road to the National Football League. His professional career began with a brief stint in training camp with the Green Bay Packers and then a combined four seasons with the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena Football League and the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe. He threw for 183 touchdowns during his three seasons in the AFL, leading the Barnstormers to back-to-back ArenaBowl appearances in 1996 and 1997. Warner is the first former NFL Europe player, second former Arena League player (Joe DeLamielleure), and 17th undrafted NFL player to be enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 On September 12, 1999, Warner made his first career start for the Rams’ in their season opener against the Baltimore Ravens in place of injured Trent Green. Warner went on to pass for 309 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Rams to a 27-10 victory. This game marked Warner’s first 300-yard passing game in his NFL career. He would go on to throw for 300 yards in 52 games throughout his 12-year career including 30 with the Rams and 22 with the Arizona Cardinals which leads both franchises.

 Warner played in three Super Bowls throughout his career. His first Super Bowl appearance came in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams in his first season as the starting quarterback. He went on to pass for 414 yards (a then Super Bowl record) and two touchdowns, leading  to the first Super Bowl victory in Rams’ franchise history. Warner would lead the Rams back to the Super Bowl in 2001 and guide the Cardinals in 2008 to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Though he came out on the losing end in both games, Warner threw for combined for a combined 742 yards, adding his Super Bowl yardage total to 1,156 yards combined, the most in Super Bowl history at the time of his retirement. Warner is also just the third quarterback (Who are the other two) in NFL history to start for two different teams in the Super Bowl. 

 On January 10, 2010, Warner had a performance for the ages in his final game at University of Phoenix Stadium and second-to-last in the NFL. He threw for 379 yards along with five touchdowns to lead the Cardinals to a 51-45 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Warner had more touchdowns (5) than incompletions (4) and became just the second NFL quarterback to throw for five touchdowns in a postseason game twice. He also finished his career with a 7-0 record in home playoff games. 

Quotes

"Some people think that a guy like Kurt came out of nowhere… But when you really start to peel back the veil and start to peel the orange, you kind of see the work that he put in, his willingness to not give up on his dream."

 -Isaac Bruce, Warner’s teammate with the St. Louis Rams from 1998-2003

 "Maybe he wasn't even aware of the talent that he had. I think of a guy with a lot of faith and belief in himself. Not cocky, but confident. Not in awe of his opportunity, and played his very first league game as if he played for five years in a row as a starter. He just had tremendous poise. Tremendous poise. He certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. No one ever did what he's done, and no one will ever do it again. Ever."

 -Dick Vermeil, head coach of the St. Louis Rams from 1997-1999

 “What I’ve found is that 99 percent of people went through something like I went though. Moments where people say there is no chance and you only can believe yourself. It happens in football, but outside of football too. That’s why my story resonates with so many people—because that’s what real life is.”

 -Kurt Warner, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017

 “If you're willing to put yourself and your dreams on the line, at the very least you'll discover an inner strength you may not have known existed.”

 -Kurt Warner, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017

 "I've never seen him nervous. Not on the football field. He might have been, but it never came across to me that he was. I guess, when you're preaching something that could change the outcome of people's lives, it's not like throwing football passes. Kurt takes it as a privilege that he has that opportunity.”

 -Larry Fitzgerald, Warner’s teammate with the Arizona Cardinals from 2005-2009

 "We all learned great lessons from Kurt's humility, dignity and grace. We will forever be thankful for the success he brought us and the unparalleled generosity he has shown the St. Louis community and beyond."

 -Chip Rosenbloom, former owner of St. Louis Rams

 “Every day and in every possible way Kurt Warner has demonstrated the excellence for which the Hall of Fame stands and we are thrilled to see him take his rightful place among the game's all-time greats.”

 -Michael Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals’ President