Kurt Warner Retires

[Mitch Henessey]

From ESPN.com

Quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement Friday from the NFL after 12 seasons, a year after leading the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl and weeks after leading them to the second round of the playoffs.

Warner, 38, a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion, had added motivation for a quick retirement decision: He has multiple promotional appearance commitments during Super Bowl week in Miami.





Rather than answer retirement questions then, Warner preferred to remove the focus from his future as quickly as possible so it's not an issue next week, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Since the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs in a 45-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints on divisional playoff weekend, Warner has spent his days huddling over his decision with family and his agent, Mark Bartelstein.

Warner has been voted to five Pro Bowls and became the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL franchises.

In the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers, Warner didn't play like someone at the end of his career. He threw for 379 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions during Arizona's 51-45 overtime victory.

But next week in the divisional round, during an interception return, Saints defensive end Bobby McCray leveled Warner with a hit that left the quarterback with a bruised chest.

Earlier this season, Warner suffered a concussion. It was at least his third concussion, and he later estimated it was quite possibly his fifth.

Warner also had the added memory of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin taking a hit that left him with a broken jaw last season. Warner told ESPN's Rick Reilly earlier this month that he contemplated retiring after witnessing that hit.

Warner had a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract.

Well, it seems Kurt Warner has finally decided to walk away from football. He had an awesome career, and probably has one of the best feel good stories ever. Remember he was stocking groceries and spent time in the Arena Football league before he came to the NFL. He was eventually signed by the St.Louis Rams in 1998. Trent Green went down with a nasty injury in a preseason game,Warner took over, and of course the rest is history.

What is Kurt Warner's legacy?

Where does he rank among the all time great QBs?

Is he a first ballot Hall Of Famer?

Thoughts?

 

[jmt225]

Meh. I think the guy had a good 2/3 more years left in him. But whatever. It's his life. Though, I won't be shocked if by July, or even the July after next, he decides to try his hand at a comeback. You just never know in sports.

But yeah... whether he comes back or not, he had a great, HOF career, both on and off the field. When he first exploded on to the scene back in 1998/1999, the Rams were in the same division as the New Orleans Saints, so I had to put up with this motherfucker for two times a year. Man... no one could light it up like that Rams offense back then. It was something to witness. And of course... his run with the Cardinals was a spectacular one as well. When they signed Warner, no one could have ever saw him leading that team to the Super Bowl, but he did, and he even put them in position to win the game. The guy was simply an incredible quarterback. He's no Brett Favre ( ), but he's definitely in the top 5 of best quarterbacks from this decade in the NFL, without a doubt.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm glad he's retired. Not because I didn't like him or anything like that, but because he stepped away at the perfect time. he's proven he's still a great QB so the NY year is more or less forgotten. He's leaving having resurrected a franchise that was one of the biggest jokes in pro sports. he's got money, he's got his health and he's well respected. What more could you ask for really? This was a great way to go out and it's nice to see someone actually get to do so.

 

[Agent_Bond34]

I hated Kurt Warner. I really, really, really, hated him. Watching him constantly burn the 49ers over and over was really painful.

However, none of this takes away from the fact that Kurt Warner helped take two horrible franchises to the Super Bowl and won with one of those.

Lots of props to Kurt for having a great career, I hope retirement goes well for him.

I also feel that he is stepping away at the right time, if he really has had 5 concussions (as he estimated) then stepping away now is a good idea.

 

[Freddy4190]

I was so excited when he came to play for the Giants, then.. meh. I dunno. That was a shit few years for the Giants. The man needed to retire, definitely. He needs to retain what little health he has left. He doesn't wanna be one of the old timers crippled in the wheelchair, definitely not. He proved he still has it, he's not some old dude. I don't want to see him come back, he needs to call it quits for good.