Read the debate intro and the opposing argument from Sports Geek that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is a hall of famer.
Let me first say that I am a big Kurt Warner supporter. I, like much of the country, became enamored with him back in 1999 when the St. Louis Rams made that magical run all the way to Super Bowl XXXIV, which goes down as one of the better Super Bowls in my lifetime. I think his rags to riches story reeks of a Hollywood movie. He comes across as generally a nice guy, and I can appreciate that. But whether or not he has established himself as a hall of fame quarterback is at the core of today’s debate. I have believe that he is not a lock for the hall of fame. (Side note: Bleacher Fan has been several times, and tells us it should be on our “Bucket List” of places to go).
That season with the Rams, in 1999, was Warner’s first real playing time with an NFL franchise. He had previously dominated NFL Europe. But in 1999, with starter Trent Green tearing his ACL in preseason, the show became Kurt’s to run, and that’s exactly what he did. He turned the Rams into The Greatest Show on Turf. He continued to put up monster individual numbers in 2000 and 2001, and would have won another Super Bowl in 2001 if not for a kicker named Adam Vinatieri.
That is where it went down hill… for a little while at least.
Warner began experiencing problems with fumbling and poor overall decisions with the football. He threw 11 interceptions in only six starts in 2002 due to a broken finger on his throwing hand. In the season opener in 2003, he fumbled a whopping SIX times. He was benched by head coach Mike Martz and replaced by Marc Bulger. He never started another game for the Rams.
After that, he signed with the New York Giants and started for half the season before giving way to heralded rookie Eli Manning. There was no way he was going to be a starter for long in the Meadowlands. Like he would find out later in Arizona, he was expected to groom a young hot shot coming out of college, and that did not really turn out well either time.
His time in Arizona did not start out so well, either. He split time with Josh McCown, of all people, in 2005. The Cardinals then drafted Matt Leinart, and Warner was expected to take a back seat. But due to injuries and ineffectiveness, Leinart was never able to keep a firm grip on the starting job.
Warner has since posted back-to-back playoff seasons in Arizona, suffering yet another heartbreaking Super Bowl loss last season.
Looking at his career numbers, it is fair to question whether or not Kurt Warner belongs in the Hall of Fame. He, after all, did not become a starter in the NFL until he was 28-years-old. He has played 12 years in the league, and in only six of those years did he throw for more than 11 touchdowns. His good years were actually great. But he has not been consistent enough to make it to Canton, Ohio. The other years proved that. And after the big hit he took Saturday, I am not sure he will step out on the field next season.
The hall of fame is supposed to be reserved for the game’s greats. Does six great years reserve a spot for a player alongside the game’s all time greats? I don’t think so!
