Kurt Warner News: Pro Sports Daily

49ers won't take Kurt Warner-less Arizona Cardinals lightly

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February 26

Arizona Republic

"Quarterback Kurt Warner's retirement ended an era for the Cardinals, but did it alter the balance of power in one of the NFL's worst divisions? With Warner starting, the Cardinals won the past two NFC West titles, but the next best team in the division, the 49ers, isn't clearing a place in the trophy case just because Warner is gone. "I think it is a grave mistake for us, as a football team, to think just because you take Kurt Warner out of the mix, it's our division," 49ers coach Mike Singletary said Thursday from the scouting combine. "The thing we have to do in San Francisco is to make sure that we are not looking at Seattle, we are not looking at what happened in Arizona. I don't care ..."

Warner learned as Packer

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February 3

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Kurt Warner, who retired last week from the National Football League after 12 seasons, said his experience in training camp in 1994 with the Green Bay Packers played a crucial role in his unusual development into a star quarterback. Warner, who was interviewed Tuesday on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" show, was asked by Mike Golic when he realized after his college career at Northern Iowa that he was good enough to compete in the NFL. "Actually, when I went to Green Bay," Warner said. "I was competing against Brett (Favre) and Mark Brunell and Ty Detmer. That was probably the most confident I was that I could play at this level. I think we all believe it when we are playing in ..."

Charitable Kurt Warner now able to give even more

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January 31

Arizona Republic

"Retirement for the financially sound can translate to self-indulgence, or it can take a philanthropic turn. Think of Kurt Warner choosing the latter approach and then multiply it by 10. "My charity," he said, "is going to be huge." Warner's zeal for helping the needy is as strong as his passion for football. He has the potential to make a profound social impact in a way only agroup of professional athletes has done. Roberto Clemente was known as much for his charitable efforts as he was for his brilliant baseball skills. He died in a plane crash in 1972 while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The late Arthur Ashe planted the seeds for his post-tennis life by ..."

Tracing Kurt Warner's pro football career

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January 31

Arizona Republic

"The quarterback called his final play. One of the most incredible and inspiring journeys from obscurity to stardom ended when Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement from the NFL. The decision to leave the game wasn't as much of a surprise as how Warner first broke into it. That took years, patience and many, many miles well traveled. Warner helped resuscitate two franchises in the St. Louis Rams and the Cardinals, in the process becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 14,000 yards for two teams. Along the way, there were three trips to the Super Bowl and too many milestones and NFL records to mention. Like his humble beginning, it wasn't ..."

Pencil QB Warner in for Hall of Fame Class of 2015

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January 31

Tampa Tribune

"Wouldn't it be a hoot if Kurt Warner walks through the doors of Canton wearing the black, gold, red and white of the Iowa Barnstormers? After all, it's the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That Arena League team gave Warner an opportunity to showcase his skills after the former I-AA standout at Northern Iowa went undrafted and began stocking shelves for minimum wage in Cedar Falls. That five-year Hall of Fame clock is now ticking for the grizzled gunslinger, who announced his retirement from the Cardinals on Friday - to the delight of defensive backs from the Rams, Seahawks and 49ers who won't have to face Warner twice a year anymore. Three years ago, Warner seemed unlikely to be honored with a ..."

Kurt Warner retires, calls career '12 of the best years of my life'

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January 30

St. Louis Globe-Democrat

"Former St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner ended his storybook professional football career Friday, calling his time in the NFL "12 of the best years of my life." Warner announced his retirement at a press conference in Arizona, during which he thanked the Rams organization, specifically late owner Georgia Frontiere and current part owner Stan Kroenke, for giving him his initial opportunity to play. Warner made his NFL debut with the Rams during the final game of the 1998 season. The next year, he led them to a championship, capping an unbelievable rise from obscurity to his becoming the NFL and Super Bowl MVP. Friday's announcement came one day shy of the 10th anniversary of that ..."

Kurt Warner announces his retirement after 12 NFL seasons

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January 30

LehighValleyLive.com

"A veteran of 12 NFL seasons, Warner, 38, led the St. Louis Rams to a pair of Super Bowls and the Cardinals to one in 2009. The 1999 Rams were NFL champions and Warner was regular season and Super Bowl MVP. "He has had a dominant career. He's a good person," Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. "He's got to do what's best for his family. He played long enough. He took us to the Super Bowl last year. We had a great season this year. It's a good thing. If you're going to go out, go out on top.""

Kurt Warner's tale an exercise in remarkable

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January 30

Arizona Republic

"Great sports figures leave legacies that come in a variety of shades and textures. Gritty work ethics. Shining athletic feats. Dark off-the-field moments. Kurt Warner gives us something better. Kurt Warner gives us his story. Every step of his career was a lesson in resilience, a tutorial in perseverance. His experience can serve us all. As much as we'll remember the pinpoint passes and postseason brilliance, we should embrace, too, how he responded in his darkest moments. "I want people to remember anything is possible," he said. We will. His story can be told by the faces at Friday's retirement news conference. There sat his two oldest children: Zachary, 20, and Jesse, 18. Warner first ..."

Retired life can be big challenge for top athletes

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January 30

Arizona Republic

"Pro athletes are used to the limelight, the constant travel, the rigid schedule. So, when they retire and step away from the spotlight, as Arizona Cardinal Kurt Warner did on Friday, the change can be a shock. On the plus side, they get to spend more time with their families, picking up their kids from school and cheering for them at baseball and soccer games. The negatives can be more difficult to handle. They have to find meaningful ways to spend the next several decades of their lives. Just ask Dan Majerle, a retired Phoenix Suns player and now an assistant coach for the team. He was used to a brutal travel schedule with essentially everything planned for him. When he retired at age ..."

Plenty left for Kurt Warner to do after retiring from Cardinals, NFL

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January 30

Arizona Republic

"Now that the rags-to-riches playing career has come to an end for Kurt Warner, what's next for the former Cardinals quarterback? An acting career? Politics? Broadcasting? During his retirement announcement Friday, Warner didn't rule anything out and said there are plenty of things he plans to do, starting with being a full-time father to his seven children. "I'm going to watch them play football on Saturday morning and watch them grow up and enjoy their life and all the things I've missed over the last 12 years," he said. As for a post-football, professional career, Warner listed several interests: Ministry work: A devout Christian, Warner said he will "spend time preaching, spend time ..."

Arizona Cardinals were the perfect bookend to Kurt Warner's career

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January 30

Arizona Republic

"Kurt Warner's final years in the NFL were almost as dramatic and as unbelievable as his initial rise to fame. Just as his career started in St. Louis, his tenure in Arizona began with doubts. With the Rams, he was the classic nobody from nowhere when he suddenly had to step in for an injured started on opening day 1999 against the Baltimore Ravens. "I remember like it was yesterday," former Ravens coach Brian Billick said Friday. " . . . (The Rams coaches) were under a lot of fire because Trent Green went down in the preseason and they had just signed Paul Justin, the old quarterback out of Arizona State. Dick (Vermiel the Rams coach) tells me, 'Well, we got this kid named Kurt Warner and ..."

Kurt Warner's credentials for the Pro Football Hall of Fame are secure

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January 30

Arizona Republic

"Three years ago, it looked like Kurt Warner would never be more than a visitor to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Warner had been benched by his third team, the Cardinals, and it appeared he would end his career as the stereotypical savvy veteran backup. The past three seasons changed all that, and Warner has a good shot of making it to the Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility. Warner, 38, announced his retirement on Friday after 12 seasons in the NFL, including the last five with the Cardinals. Until 2007, however, he had a Hall of Fame story, but not a career. From grocery bagger to two-time NFL most valuable player, Warner became one of sports greatest ..."

Kurt Warner took Cardinals to new heights

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January 30

Arizona Republic

"Over the years, Cardinals have come and gone. In the dark times, we couldn't wait to say goodbye. Mercifully, that has changed. We've all seen the light. His name is Kurt Warner, and as much as it's going to hurt, his work here is done. "The last three years have really finished the story," Warner said. Warner's official retirement came down on Friday, as expected. It marked the end of a sure Hall of Fame career, a story that stretches far beyond the sidelines. Just 16 years ago, Warner was cut by the Green Bay Packers and was earning $5.50 an hour stocking shelves at the Hy-Vee in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Now, he will go down as one of the greatest men ever to play in the NFL, appearing in ..."

Cards' puzzle now missing huge piece

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January 30

East Valley Tribune

"To the surprise of nobody, the most important piece of the Cardinals roster walked away on Friday, concluding a 12-year career even the most wacky wordsmiths would have an arduous time trying to sufficiently explain in writing, or sell as a "based on a true story" movie script. A floundering, insert-joke-here franchise has been flipped, thanks to the union of Warner, a spaceship-looking stadium in Glendale and coach Ken Whisenhunt. Only the stadium and Whisenhunt remain, as Warner, Whisenhunt, team president Michael Bidwill and general manager Rod Graves spent an hour reflecting on the 38-year-old quarterback's career, memories, the gamble each side took on the other, and the undeniably ..."

QB for the "Greatest Show On Turf" in St. Louis calls an end to his storybook NFL career.

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January 30

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"He walked into the room in typical Kurt Warner style, with humility in his heart and a Bible in his hand. And then directly and with clarity announced what everyone expected: that he was retiring after 12 storybook seasons in the NFL. In no way did he seem conflicted about his decision. The only time he got emotional was after he brought wife Brenda and their seven children onstage at Friday's news conference in Tempe, Ariz. The MVP awards, the Super Bowls, the amazing statistics will always be associated with Warner. But that's not really what Warner wants as his legacy. "The one thing that I always want to leave people with ... is that anything is possible," Warner said. "I think that's ..."

Cardinals' Warner Quits After 12 Unlikely Years

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January 30

New York Times

"Kurt Warner took a job stocking grocery store shelves in Iowa after his first rejection from the National Football League, just one of the stops on Warner's unorthodox path to stardom. There was no stint at a top college or selection in a high draft round. Instead, Warner wound through the backwaters of the Arena Football League and the now-defunct N.F.L. Europe. But on Friday, when Warner retired after a dozen years in the N.F.L., he went out as a possible future Hall of Fame selection, having built an extraordinary career with one Super Bowl title and two league Most Valuable Player awards from an out-of-nowhere start and stunning resilience. Warner walked away with a year remaining on ..."

Warner calls it a career

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January 29

East Valley Tribune

"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 ..."

Kurt Warner announces retirement

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January 29

Arizona Republic

"An old man, at least by NFL standards, became young again today, as Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement from the game at age 38. In a news conference at the team's Tempe facility, Warner said he was walking away from the game after 12 seasons while he could still walk. Befitting the devout Christian that he is, Warner's career was defined by ascension and resurrection. He made it to the NFL after spending time playing in Europe, the Arena League and stocking shelves at the Hi-Vee Grocery Store back home in Iowa. He helped two moribund franchises, the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals, make it to three Super Bowls, winning two MVP awards and making four Pro Bowl ..."

Warner likely retiring, and we'll miss him

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January 29

East Valley Tribune

columnist Bob Romantic

"It's D-Day - Decision Day - in the Valley, as Cardinals fans hold their collective breath waiting for Kurt Warner to announce his plans for the future Friday afternoon. Is he coming back for one last Super Bowl run with the Cardinals? Or leaving a Hall of Fame career on his own terms? Much of the speculation centers around the latter, simply because Warner is having a press conference. Last year, when he also entertained thoughts of retirement, he decided to come back by simply informing the team. He was a free agent at the time, so things were different. But, still, you get the feeling that this is the end of the line for Warner. Only Warner knows for sure; the rest of us will find out at ..."

All-stars would miss Kurt Warner

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January 29

Miami Herald

"If Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner announces his retirement Friday, as expected, several of his Pro Bowl peers will understand, but they'll miss him. ``It would be tough,'' said Arizona safety Antrel Rolle, of the University of Miami and South Dade High. ``He's been a part of my entire NFL career. He's been a great guy, exceptional guy on and off the field. He's been the backbone of our team.'' Before their 51-45 shootout in an NFC wild-card game earlier this month, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers teased his 38-year-old friend about how much Warner had left. Then, the two quarterbacks proceeded to embarrass both defenses. ``But I was serious,'' Rodgers said. ``If he retires, he goes ..."

Agent: Warner announcing decision Friday

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January 28

East Valley Tribune

"Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will hold a news conference Friday to announce whether he will retire from the game, his agent said. Mark Bartelstein, in a telephone interview on Wednesday, said the announcement will be made at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe. Bartelstein declined to reveal Warner's decision. The 38-year-old quarterback, who has led two franchises to the Super Bowl and one to the NFL title, has strongly considered retirement in the wake of a season that saw him miss a game with a concussion. He led the Cardinals to an 11-7 season, including a wild playoff victory over Green Bay, one year after directing Arizona on a stunning run to the Super Bowl. The ..."

Kurt Warner to hold Friday news conference about retirement

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January 28

Arizona Republic

"Less than an hour after the Cardinals' season ended, quarterback Kurt WarnerKurt Warner promised he wouldn't take long to decide if it would be his last. Warner appears ready to make good on that pledge, with a news conference scheduled for Friday at the team's Tempe facility to announce his decision. Warner, 38, is expected to retire after 12 seasons, including the past five with the Cardinals. A friend who talked with Warner after the Cardinals lost to the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs said "it sounded like he was done." As of Wednesday afternoon, Warner had not informed the Cardinals of his decision, and the team has not announced the timing of a news conference. But Warner's ..."

Source: Warner announcement Friday

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January 27

ESPN.com

"Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will announce Friday at a news conference whether he plans to retire, according to a Cardinals source. The widespread assumption -- one that hasn't changed for weeks -- is that the 38-year-old Warner will step away from the game. One possible indication of Warner's intentions is that he already has begun gathering his family so they can attend Friday's news conference at the team's training facility, according to sources. Warner also has another added motivation for a quick decision: He has multiple promotional appearance commitments during Super Bowl week in Miami. Rather than answer retirement questions then, Warner would prefer to remove the ..."

Kurt Warner to hold Friday news conference

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January 27

Arizona Republic

"Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner likely will announce his retirement decision on Friday at a press conference at the team's training facility in Tempe. The news was first reported by ESPN, and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed that a press conference "probably" would be held on Friday. The Cardinals have not announced a press conference, and it would be unusual for them to do so two days before the event. Bartelstein declined to say what Warner had decided. "That's for Kurt to say," Bartelstein said. "I'd rather let him make the announcement.""

When will Cardinals QB Kurt Warner make his decision?

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January 25

Arizona Republic

"There have been no updates about Kurt Warner's retirement decision, but the timing of it could be interesting, given his schedule over the next two weeks. Warner is enjoying some down time with his family this week. Next week, he is scheduled to make appearances at the Super Bowl in Miami on Tuesday and Wednesday. Warner will be there on behalf of Disney and milk. No, I'm not kidding. I don't know if apple pie dropped him or what. In Miami, Warner will be making the rounds on radio row. On Thursday, Warner is scheduled to appear as a motivational speaker in Phoenix. I wonder if he will want to do all that if he hasn't made an announcement about retirement."

Reilly: The end is near for Warner

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January 20

ESPN.com

columnist Rick Reilly

"Kurt Warner. Flattened like a tortilla. Can hardly breathe. Every rib howling. Wife watching. Can't breathe either. And they pile on. Four of them. Pain doubles. Pain like passing a softball through your kidney. No penalty flag. No nothing. Of course, this was in Warner's Arizona living room. Monday. With four of his kids. Two days after one of the most eyeball-rattling hits he'd ever taken, in the Arizona Cardinals' blowout playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. "This is the sorest I've ever been," says Warner, 38. And you wonder why he's thinking of retiring? Still, if Warner does quit in the next couple of weeks -- talk to him, you'll be convinced he will -- it won't be because of his ..."

Key for 49ers: Having Cardinals' Warner retire

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January 20

San Francisco Chronicle

"Not all of the 49ers share the religious faith of their coach, Mike Singletary, but they might be leaning that way in the coming days. Kurt Warner's wife, Brenda, says the quarterback's decision on retirement will be "between Kurt and God." Warner's call will be as important to the 49ers as any of their own this offseason. They seem to own the Cardinals (winning both matchups this season), but the Cardinals own the division, and that's not going to change if Warner comes back and plays a full season without serious injury. Even the most loyal Alex Smith fans have to admit that when Warner has the Cardinals' offense in full gear, as it was in that wildly entertaining playoff win over Green ..."

Warner key to Cards' offseason plans

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January 20

East Valley Tribune

"The stakes are higher and draft picks lower when you have a pro football team that understands the month of January is not meant for vacations and golf courses. It also means the offseasons are that much more pivotal. That's where we are now with the Arizona Cardinals. This season ended up two games short of last year's amazing Super Bowl run. Yet, you can make the case that this year's team was actually better. Consider: • They won 10 games in the regular season for the first time in 33 years, repeated as NFC West champs and were in every game except one (a 31-10 loss to the Colts) — unlike 2008 when they suffered four blowout losses by scores of 56-35, 35-14, 47-7 and 48-20. • The ..."

Plenty of reasons for Cardinals QB Kurt Warner to stay

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January 18

Arizona Republic

"Kurt Warner hasn't made a decision about retirement. On the plane ride home from Saturday's playoff loss to New Orleans, the quarterback spoke with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and said he "needed time." Reporters were meandering through the team's training-facility locker room Sunday, sniffing for clues as players emptied their spaces. Warner would say one thing that hinted "retirement" and something else five minutes later that screamed "he's coming back." "If I thought lobbying would help, I'd lobby," Whisenhunt said. It won't. Warner has far more powerful forces tugging at him: his family, his faith and his love of the game. It is easy to find reasons he would step away, even with ..."

Warner not ready to make decision on future

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January 17

East Valley Tribune

"Warner, 38, was not ready to make an announcement about his future after the Cardinals' disappointing 45-14 loss on Saturday. "I don't really have a target date," he said. "I've thought about it a lot and have over the past couple of years. I have some ideas in my head, but you want to get away from the season for a minute and make sure of everything your are feeling stays that way. I don't think it will be a long, drawn-out process. I wouldn't want to do that either way to this organization." If he retires, he won't have left on the note he wanted. The Saints held him without a touchdown pass a week after he threw for five touchdowns against Green Bay in the wild-card round. He also ..."

Kurt Warner will wait to decide on retirement

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January 17

Arizona Republic

"Over the next few weeks, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will weigh the pros and cons of retirement - maybe when it stops hurting to breathe. Warner was still experiencing soreness in the chest and rib area Saturday evening after taking a hard hit there on an interception return. "You know, anytime you get hit like that it makes you think twice about playing this game," he said, jokingly. Warner reiterated that he will follow the same process he's used after the past few seasons. He'll get away from football, relax, consult with his wife, Brenda, and then decide whether he'll play in 2010, the final year of his contract. "I have some ideas in my head," he said, "but you want to get away ..."

QB Kurt Warner, Cardinals ready to rise up vs. Saints

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January 16

Arizona Republic

"Most veteran NFL players caution younger ones to treat a playoff game like another week in the regular season. But if the youngsters on the Cardinals roster wanted to hear a differing opinion this week, all they had to do wasby quarterback Kurt Warner's locker. "Playoff time is just special and it's different," Warner said. "I said that to somebody last week. 'It's time to elevate. It's time to raise the standard.' You have to bring your game up. There is something about knowing that this is it, that every game you could be going home, it's just more fun." Saturday's divisional playoff game against the Saints in the Louisiana Superdome is why Warner still plays at 38. The money helps, ..."

Inside the huddle: QBs must be sharp to process info on spot

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January 16

New Orleans Times-Picayune

"From a fan's seat, NFL passing plays look pretty simple. The quarterback gets the ball, he looks for an open receiver, then throws. No problem. Of course, if it were that simple, there would be many more "franchise quarterbacks" playing -- and playing for a lot less money. The truth is much more complicated. Trent Dilfer, a former NFL quarterback who won a Super Bowl ring during his 14-year career and now is an NFL analyst for ESPN, helped explain why playing quarterback in the NFL at an elite level is as much about brain power as arm strength. The following scenario is an example of the decisions New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees might have to make on just one play in an NFC ..."

Retirement not at top of Warner's mind

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January 16

Indianapolis Star

"Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner isn't sure where the retirement talk began. "No idea," Warner said of reports circulating he plans to hang it up after the playoffs. Warner might be 38, but if he continues to perform at the level of last week's wild 51-45 overtime victory against Green Bay, he's not going anywhere. Except to the Pro Football Hall of Fame five years after he eventually retires. Warner leads the Cardinals (11-6) into today's NFC divisional round playoff game against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (13-3) at The Superdome. His five-touchdown performance against the Packers is keeping Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams awake nights. "Usually, during ..."

Playoff epic secured Hall for Arizona's Kurt Warner

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January 15

Miami Herald

columnist Greg Cote

"Got lured into a discussion the other day on Kurt Warner's Hall of Fame chances. My buddy said no way. So I punched him. Not physically, but I punched him in terms of oratory and debate points. It was not pretty. There might be debate about Warner, but it will be token and brief. Should Saturday prove to be his final game before retirement, he has done enough. I think Kurt clinched it in the playoffs last week, in Arizona's epic 51-45 ousting of Green Bay, when he completed 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. The playoffs magnify a player's Hall résumé, especially a QB's. Warner's career including two league MVP awards merits Canton even without the ..."

Kurt Warner hasn't won big at the Superdome

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January 14

New Orleans Times-Picayune

"If you haven't already, you're going to hear a lot this week about Kurt Warner's glitzy postseason history. The Arizona Cardinals quarterback improved his playoff record to 9-3 in Sunday's 51-45 overtime win against Green Bay. His postseason passer rating of 104.6 is second in NFL history to Bart Starr (104.8). He's the first quarterback in NFL history to throw four or more touchdown passes in three playoffs games. He and Peyton Manning are the only passers to record efficiency ratings of 145.0 or higher in two postseason games. Those are imposing numbers for the New Orleans Saints and their postseason-success-starved fans. Warner's Cardinals play the Saints Saturday at the Superdome at ..."

Shootout in the Superdome? It's Drew Brees vs. Kurt Warner

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January 14

USA Today

"New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and 1-year-old son Baylen share a birth date Friday. Brees hopes to celebrate both after Saturday's NFC divisional-round showdown with the Arizona Cardinals. "Let's hope the results Saturday night is my birthday gift," Brees said Wednesday at his locker. Brees and the Cardinals' Kurt Warner share some eerily similar traits. A quick release with pinpoint accuracy? Check. The ability to sense pass-rush pressure and exploit an open area of a blitzing defense? Check. Calm, respected leaders in their huddle and communities? Check again. "When I really got to know Kurt was at last year's Pro Bowl, talking on the sideline, especially when Eli Manning, ..."

Cardinals give fans a game they will never forget

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January 11

Arizona Republic

"Kurt Warner took a victory lap and a shower. Then he grabbed his Bible and tried to make sense of it all. "Whew," the Cardinals quarterback said. "Anybody else tired?" Exhausted. Exhilarated. Ecstatic. Relieved. Imagine losing this game - and be glad your team didn't. In one of the wildest NFL playoff games on record, the Cardinals eliminated the Green Bay Packers 51-45 in overtime Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium. Next up is an NFC divisional playoff game against the top-seeded Saints in New Orleans, a city where Warner once lost a Super Bowl. No matter what happens next, the 2009 season is now a smashing success. Football fans across the Valley will never forget this contest, ..."

Dead giveaway

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January 11

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Pro football, a quarterback's game, was ever thus Sunday afternoon in the NFC wild-card round at University of Phoenix Stadium. In one of the most spell-binding playoff games in National Football League history, Arizona's Kurt Warner outplayed Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, and the Cardinals outlasted the Packers in overtime, 51-45. Just as Warner made one mistake more than Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger in one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played by two quarterbacks last year, Rodgers made many more mistakes than his 38-yard counterpart, and it was just too much for his team to overcome. "It's personally one of the toughest losses I've ever been a part of," said coach Mike McCarthy, whose ..."

Warner adds to his legend

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January 11

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"After all 96 points had been scored in what will go down as one of the most memorable playoff games in NFL history, the difference between the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals was clear. It might have been somewhat ironic that a defensive play ultimately tipped the balance of a wild, wild-card matchup in which 1,024 total yards were accumulated, yet by the time the Cardinals' 51-45 overtime victory had been secured, the dividing line was behind center. Arizona had Kurt Warner, a future Hall of Famer, who has secured his spot in Canton in the playoffs. The Packers had a young Pro Bowler in Aaron Rodgers who was quarterbacking his first postseason game. "What more is there to say ..."

Kurt Warner not making plans for future, yet

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January 11

Arizona Republic

"Quarterback Kurt Warner was saying thank you, not necessarily goodbye, when he took a lap around the field at University of Phoenix Stadium and slapped hands with fans after Sunday's playoff victory over the Packers. Warner's potential retirement became a story Sunday when ESPN reported that people close to Warner expect him to retire, unless he changes his mind. Warner denied that he has made any plans, and the lap was not a farewell one. "That was my way of saying thanks to the fans because I know we're not coming back here this year," Warner said of the lap. "I appreciate them. We haven't played our best football at home this year, but they've been incredible for us." After throwing ..."

A Cardinals' win delays worry about Kurt Warner's future

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January 10

Arizona Republic

"In the NFL, it's best to avoid the really tough questions. Such as ones about Kurt Warner's retirement, for instance. If the Cardinals win a playoff game against the Packers, the conversation remains unnecessary for another six days, minimum. "I think we're in a good spot," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "We've had a good week of work. This team responds to situations that we're in right now." Warner has one more year on his contract, and all that's guaranteed is this playoff game against Green Bay. Warner's career began with an insult from the Packers. It can't end the same way, right? Back then, he was a freaked-out kid from Northern Iowa trying to make an NFL team amid a ..."

Packers prepare for 'cat-and-mouse game' with Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner

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January 7

Green Bay Press Gazette

"There probably aren't any NFL quarterbacks who actually enjoy being blitzed down after down after down. But some handle it much better than others and put defensive coordinators in a quandary, because they're capable of killing a blitz scheme with its own sword. Arizona's Kurt Warner is one of those quarterbacks. The 38-year-old has little mobility, but 12 years of NFL experience and a quick throwing release have helped him torch blitzes for much of the past decade. That leaves Dom Capers, the Packers' defensive coordinator, to measure the risks and rewards, and determine how often, when and how to attack Warner with his zone-blitz scheme in their NFC wild-card game on Sunday. "I've never ..."

Packers shouldn't overlook war-tested Warner

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January 6

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"A banner hanging in the University of Phoenix Stadium notes that its primary tenant was established in 1898. And that's technically true if you count Chicago southsiders playing tackle-ball for beer money a good 20 years before the idea occurred to Curly Lambeau. So that would make the oft-moved team now known as the Arizona Cardinals only marginally older than its current quarterback. OK, so that was bordering on a Flozell Adams-level cheap shot. Kurt Warner is just 38. Really. It only seems like Lambeau was cutting the checks when Warner was in Green Bay's 1994 training camp as a non-draftee out of Northern Iowa. Actually, it was a different century when Warner, as a 28-year-old rookie, ..."

Cardinals' balance takes pressure off Kurt Warner

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December 27

Arizona Republic

"Last December, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner's body ached from the rigors of an NFL season. But he was more concerned about his mind. Warner was weary because the team's offense often was as one-dimensional as a bar with a single beer tap. If Warner wasn't on target and the passing yards weren't flowing, the Cardinals offense went dry. Much has changed from 2008, however. Warner still has the gait of a guy who has herded cattle all day, but he no longer feels the weight of a franchise on his shoulders. The Cardinals can run the ball now - not great but well enough. The defense is capable of playing a dominant game - not always, but occasionally. Improved special teams have flipped ..."

Once a St. Louis Ram, Kurt Warner now bleeds Cardinals' red

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December 27

Arizona Republic

"St. Louis overcame the loss of the Cardinals. In time, its citizenry even thanked Bill Bidwill for leaving. But now we have claimed their beloved quarterback. Kurt Warner is about to become property of Arizona forevermore. It's like stealing the Gateway Arch and slapping it down in Glendale. The shift began this season, when Warner said he was "over" the whole emotional saga that came with playing against the Rams. After all, he has played more regular-season games with Arizona (60) than he did with St. Louis (53). He also has beaten the Rams in five consecutive games. The accumulation of time, revenge and two consecutive NFC West titles have altered his perspective. "I'm not about ..."

Null sees Warner as man to admire

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December 24

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"As Kurt Warner gets up there in age, accomplishments, and NFL seasons, more than one young quarterback has approached him after games to pay his respects. "I've been very fortunate that I've had a number of guys come up, not so much that they want to play like me or model their game after me," Warner said. "But just that they appreciate the way I play the game and what I represent, and respected me for the way I play in my career. … It's always humbling, and it's always an honor to hear that." Well, get ready, Kurt, because it's about to happen again this Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. Warner was one of Keith Null's heroes growing up in Lampasas, Texas, and on into his college playing career at ..."

Cardinals' Warner awarded NFC honors

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December 9

Arizona Republic

"The NFL named Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner the NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday for his performance in Sunday's 30-17 victory against the Minnesota Vikings. Back in the starting lineup after missing a game because of a head injury, Warner completed 22 of 32 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the win."