"After more than 4,000 pass attempts and 2,600 completions, 200-plus touchdowns, five Pro Bowl berths, four NFL rosters, three different professional leagues, three Super Bowl appearances and one championship, Kurt Warner called it a career.

The Cardinals quarterback and 12-year NFL veteran of a remarkable rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story announced his retirement Friday afternoon at the team's Tempe headquarters.

The decision ended days and even weeks' worth of speculation about Warner's future, which came to a head on Wednesday when his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said his client would announce his decision later in the week.

Matt Leinart is slated to be the starting quarterback next season. A first-round pick from USC in 2006. Leinart has made 29 career appearances in his four years with the Cardinals. He threw for 435 yards in eight appearances (one start) in 2009.

Warner threw for 32,344 yards, 208 touchdowns and 128 interceptions in his storied career. He went from stocking shelves at a "Hy-Vee" grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to becoming the second quarterback in NFL history to throw 100 touchdown passes with two different teams (Arizona and St. Louis). In 13 playoff games, he has an NFL-record 66.5 completion percentage and threw for 3,952 yards, 31 TD and 14 INT.

He played at a Pro Bowl level for a second consecutive season by completing 66 percent of his passes for 3,753 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2009.

Despite the gaudy stats and playoff runs -- highlighted by the Rams' 1999-2000 Super Bowl victory season -- the 38-year-old Warner contemplated retirement the previous couple years. A jarring hit to Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin's face and jaw against the New York Jets in 2008 affected the deeply religious Warner, but Warner eventually led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance since moving to Arizona. He threw for 377 yards and had a quarterback rating of 112.5 in the last-second loss to Pittsburgh."