Time Warner

Did you know that Kurt Warner was undrafted agent that attended Green Bay's training camp in 94 but he was released before the regular season? Had anyone heard of him before this time? Maybe, maybe not. Remember the time when Kurt Warner played for the Iowa Barnstomers and he led them to the Arena Bowl in back to back seasons. A time when Arena Football was looked at as a D-League organization but it has produced a player like Kurt Warner. Did anyone really believe that Kurt Warner could be the man to take their team to playloffs and win? I think not. Let's go back in time.

Kurt Warner was drafted in 98 by the St Louis Rams. He was the back up quarterback for Trent Green. Trent was slated to be the future of the Rams and alot of expectations were casted upon the shoulders of Trent. He was hurt in the 99 preseason game and all the hopes and dreams of Rams seemed to have ended in one quarter. In comes the unknown, undrafted second string quarterback (who no one really never heard of) to carry the Rams through the 99 season. With the support of Marshall Faulk, Issac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Harim, and Ricky Proehl, Warner threw for 4,353 yards, 41 touchdowns and had a completion rate of 65.1%. It was simply amazing. The high-powered offensed was deemed the name of The Greatest Show on Turf. This team scored 500 points in the first three seasons with Warner. In his first three starts, he threw for three touchdowns. The only other person to do this in his first two seasons as a starter was Dan Marino. Warner went on to led the St. Louis Rams to 13-3 record. The Rams was the NFC West Division Champions. Beating teams like San Francisco 49ers that had been the NFC West Division Champions 12 out the 13 previous seasons. The Rams had lost 17 out of the 18 meetings with the Niners. Warner restored hope for Rams by leading them to two consecutive victories over the Niners that 99 season.

In the playloffs, he led the Rams to the Superbowl XXXIV victory over the Tennessee Titans. He threw for two TDs and a Superbowl record of 414 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown to Issac Bruce with just over two minutes to play. Warner also set and Superbowl record by attempting 45 passes without an interception. He was awarded Superbowl MVP and also MVP of the NFL. He was one of six players to accomplish this in the same year. He joined the likes of Bart Starr 1966), Terry Bradshaw (1978), Joe Montana (1989), Emmitt Smith (1993) and Steve Young (1994).

The next two seasons, Warner accomplished what many would have never dreamed that he would. He managed to take the team back to the Superbowl in the 2001. The Rams lost to the New England Patriot 20-17. It was painful loss but we were proud of the accomplishment the Rams had made. Warner recorded 365 yards in that loss. The 2002-2003 season was not a good time for Kurt Warner, after throwing seven interceptions to one td. He entered the season with a 103.4 passing rating but it dimished to 67.4 passer rating. The powers that be were soon becoming impatient with Warner. His time had ended in St Louis and he was released.
In 2004, Warner was signed by the New York Giants. He inked a two year deal. He was there for one season after he didn't live up to the expectations of the organization or the city. Would this spell the end of Warner's time in the NFL? No, he managed to inked another deal. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals. Things started out mediocre (2005-2007) but Arizona stucked with the QB that had took a team to the two Superbowls in three years. Warner would eventually returned back to the form of a winning quarterback.

The 2008 season proved to be one of Kurt Warner's finest. He threw for 4583 yards, 30 TDs, and completion rate of 96.9%. Simply amazing yet again. His team won the NFC West Division beating his former team, St. Louis Rams. Like those 99 Rams, the Cardinals have some explosive players like Larry Fitzgerald and Edgerin James who looks to be rising from the ashes. Can Kurt Warner will his team to the Superbowl just like he did for the Rams? His team has won two games. One more game to go. Can he do it? Many believe that he will but others don't. Will he be classified as one of the best quarterbacks or one of the best comeback quarterbacks? Either way it goes, we'll see in time. Good luck, Captian Kurt. Thanks for the memory.

Ram's Eye View