Kurt Warner: From Grocery Store Bagger to NFL MVP

Kurt Warner: From Grocery Store Bagger to NFL MVP

Being from Iowa, I know about the story of Kurt Warner the guy who went from bagging groceries at a local Hy-Vee store to NFL MVP. His rise to prominence in the NFL is yet another one of those “Cinderella” stories that you hear about so much in the NFL but most players have their moment then flitter away. Warner has remained a constant in NFL stardom and is poised to make yet another positive chapter in his storybook NFL career as his Arizona Cardinals are starting a Super Bowl berth right in the face.

Warner graduated from Cedar Rapids Regis High school and went just up I-380 to school at the University of Northern Iowa. Following his collegiate career, Warner was invited to Green Bay Packers training camp but he didn’t hang on long enough to make the regular season roster so he moved on and played football with the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena (2) Football League. Warner had a successful career there and ended up in St. Louis playing for the Rams in 1999.

Warner started out as the backup in St. Louis but after starting quarterback Trent Greene was injured in a preseason and Warner stepped in to take over. What happened next can only be considered something that only happens once in a lifetime. Warner and the Rams ended up having the best offense that season as well as one of the best in NFL history. Warner threw for 4353 yards and 41 touchdowns during that season as well and was selected to be the NFL MVP that season. To top it all off, Warner led the rams to a victory in the Super Bowl over the Tennessee Titans and was also named the MVP of that game.

In 2000, Warner was well on his way to another record breaking season but in the middle of that year, he broke his hand and ended up missing most of the season. The Rams failed to make the Super Bowl that season however. In 2001, Warner was back and healthy and he threw for 4830 yards with 36 touchdowns and once again led the Rams to the Super Bowl. However, this time the Rams wouldn’t be as lucky as they lost to the New England Patriots. Warner didn’t have that great of a game as well.

Warner struggled in both 2002 and 2003. In 2003 he suffered a broken finger and wasn’t the same the rest of the season. He also had issues in 2003 that caused him to be replaced and he was cut from the team in June of 2004.

After being courted by several teams Warner landed in New York with the Giants and ended up starting the 2004 season but due to his poor performance, the Giants started using Eli Manning much more and pretty soon Warner was on the outside looking in.

Warner went to the Arizona Cardinals on a one year deal in 2005 and ended up starting that season. He played pretty well and thus earned a three year contract with the Falcons in 2006. He was named the starter at the start of 2006 but was benched in favor of Matt Leinart and didn’t start another game that season.

In 2007, Warner came into a game (against the Baltimore Ravens) in relief of Leinart and almost won the game. After that Warner was brought in to spell Leinart again and he never relinquished his starting role. He was poised to ride the bench again before the start of the 2008 season but as the season came upon them, the Cardinals decided that Warner should start. Warner did very well during this past season and now, after two playoff wins, has his team poised to go to the Super Bowl with a win this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Warner’s story is sort of a rags to riches, to rags to riches again story but it’s something that you won’t typically find in the NFL. Most guys aren’t given third or fourth chances, much less second chances, and Warner has proven himself resilient and fully capable of coming back time and again. And if he can bring his team into the Super Bowl Warner may earn himself a spot in the Hall of Fame especially since the Cardinals haven’t ever been to a Super Bowl.

And here’s one writer who is hoping that Warner and the Cardinals reach their goal.