Kurt Warner Done?
By author
I really dislike Kurt Warner. It is probably because he has always killed the Seahawks (51 of 74 for 658 yards and five touchdowns in two matchups last season), or maybe because of his improbable rise from irrelevance to fame. Or it could be his annoying tendency to preach his religion to the masses and thank God for every completed pass. Maybe I just don’t like his arrogant smile.
Whatever the reason, I sure wouldn’t mind him leaving Arizona. Yes, Warner is a free agent, but from a few telling quotes, it appears he may be leaning towards retirement. 12th Man, rejoice. Although Warner may be on his way out, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a capable replacement in line – Leinart has a 71.7 quarterback rating through 21 career games (okay, maybe I’m being halfway sarcastic).
Who do you think I’d rather see play quarterback for a division rival next season? A guy who just took them to the Super Bowl and is building his resume for the Hall of Fame, or the inexperienced alternative who has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his career? Not to mention anything about the lethal Warner-to-Fitzgerald rapport that has developed into a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.
Kurt Warner will turn 38 in June, and I’ll take anything that will intensify the Cardinal’s Super Bowl hangover. A few noteworthy quotes from an article written by Jaymes Song from the Associated Press:
"After leading the Arizona Cardinals to an improbable run to the Super Bowl and playing in Sunday’s Pro Bowl, Warner will now have time to rest and contemplate retirement.“I’m glad we had the season that we did, and I enjoyed every minute of it, but I’m very much looking forward to the offseason,” he said.…The Cardinals have already lost offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who last week was hired as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Warner said Haley’s departure would be just one of many factors in his decision. But he made clear that he doesn’t want to start over.There’s one person that could be the deciding factor.“If Anquan (Boldin) tells me he’s coming back, that will make my decision easier,” he said.And Boldin absolutely wants to see Warner in a Cards uniform next year.“You definitely want to see a guy like him come back because I feel like he’s got a lot left in the tank,” Boldin said. “He’s a guy that’s playing at the top of his career. He’s playing lights out, so you definitely want a guy like that to return.”Warner said he has no time frame for a decision. All he’s focused on now is his family and life outside the NFL.And when he’s ready, Warner said he’ll let the football world know."
Sometimes hoping for the demise of your rivals can be almost as fun as beating them.