NFL Hall of Fame: Predicting the 2015 class
Kurt Warner, QB (Rams, 1998-2003, Giants 2004, Cardinals 2005-09)
It’s only fitting that Kurt Warner’s career ends in Canton. Especially considering how his NFL journey really began.
Just one of four members of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf,” Warner is the originally unwanted quarterback who nobody thought could be successful in the league. He worked for minimum wage at the Hy-Vee supermarket and moonlighted in the Arena League before hitting NFL Europe. Then, he led the St. Louis Rams, who struggled throughout the mid-late 90’s, to a Super Bowl title — defeating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV.
It wouldn’t be the first time he would take a losing team to the Super Bowl.
His second act had him guiding the Arizona Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII, nearly upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cardinals have only seen the playoffs three times since moving to Arizona before the 1988 season, with the last two led by Warner.
Kurt Warner became the first quarterback in NFL history in 1999 to throw three touchdowns in each of his first three games (as a starter). He finished 1999 throwing for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions.
In his 11 year career, he threw for 32,344 yards with 208 touchdowns.
Despite winning just one of his three Super Bowl appearances, Warner is 9-4 in the postseason with 3,952 yards in the air with 31 touchdowns. Warner is tied with Bills quarterback Jim Kelly for second most attempts in a Super Bowl (31 in SB XLIII), second in most yards thrown Super Bowl history (1,156), and has the top three highest passing games in yardage (414 in SB XXXIV, 377 in SB XLIII and 365 in SB XXXVI). Warner’s 93.7 career passer rating is ranked eighth all-time.
Toss in his two MVP awards (1999, 2001), the fact that he achieved all of this in 12 years along with the rest of his records and accolades and it would almost be a shame if Warner didn’t make it to Canton in 2015. Every player who has won multiple MVP’s has become a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
Besides, Canton needs a new signal-caller inducted. The last ones were Troy Aikman and Warren Moon in 2006.
From the Hy-Vee to the Arena League, to NFL Europe to turning around two of the league’s worst franchises, leading them both to Super Bowls, to Canton. A fitting end to this true Cinderella story.