Even if Kurt Warner retires, the Hall Beckons

(Written before Warner's last game prior to calling it quits)

Much controversy has been built around the recent rumor of Kurt Warner calling it quits after this post-season culminates, thus voiding the last year of his contract. Considering the same musings were ubiquitous after Arizona’s implausible Super Bowl run last season, apparently it’s déjà vu all over again. However, there’s one subtle distinction this time: Warner’s concussion midway through this season presents a health scare that might tilt the balance of an almost 40 year-old family man—as accomplished as any QB is expected to be at the NFL level—towards taking the less risky route and biding adieu to the game he loves.

Such situation would depend, in no small measure, to the success of the Cards in the playoffs—a Super Bowl victory would provide a perfect swan song to a storybook career. (And after gun-slinging his team to an epic 51-45 wild card victory against Green Bay on the strength of 377 yards and 5 TD passes, such an scenario is not as far-fetched as previously imagined).

Leaving such imponderables aside and regardless of how this season ends, one thing’s certain: Kurt Warner has earned his trip to Canton. In a shortened career that started in his late twenties after going undrafted and taking a circuitous detour through Arena Football and NFL Europe, he made the most of his maiden opportunity with the Rams, leading the Greatest Show on Turf to 2 Super Bowls in 3 years, winning one—and collecting 2 regular season MVP awards in the process. After injuries and lesser performances derailed his success, leading to being released by Saint Louis, and a failed stint with the Giants, he rejuvenated his career in Arizona, leading a young team without any semblance of a running game to the Big Show and, ever so cruelly, being left to impotently watch his defense fail to hold a lead in the waning seconds of the game.

Taking 2 different teams to a Super Bowl is no small feat, nor is it posting the 3 best passing yards game in Super Bowl history—or owning a 9-3 playoff record, for that matter—but when one combines such stellar postseason play with regular season numbers than rank among the most efficient ever in such metrics as yards per pass (7.95), completion percentage (65.5%) or QB rating (93.7), one can brush aside his shortened career (as evidenced by “only” amassing 208 passing TDs and over 32,000 yards) and without hesitation accept the self-evident narrative: Kurt Warner can hold his own with the legends of the game as one of the best passers to ever throw a football.