Hall of Famer, Kurt Warner?

Not exactly something you planned on talking about going into the 2008 NFL Season, but maybe we should be talking about it now.

So what are the qualifications of a Hall of Famer anyways? Some think, it is all based on whether or not you win the Superbowl. Some think you need to be the best player at your position for an extended period of time. Others think it is all about the stats. I have heard some say they judge Hall of Famers based on whether or not you can tell the story of the sport without mentioning that player. Whatever you think the criteria is, Kurtis Eugene Warner pretty much hits them all.

Warner has only been a member of the NFL since 1998, since he spent two seasons in the Arena Football League with the Iowa Barnstormers, and one with the Amsterdam Admirals of the now defunct NFL Europe. He then joined the St. Louis Rams for the pre-season of the 1999-2000 NFL Season.

In 1999, after a pre-season injury to Trent Green, Warner became the starter and in fact in his first three NFL starts threw three touchdown passes in each of those three games. That my friends is an NFL record, and the first of many for Kurt.

When people make up catch phrases based on your offense or defense, i.e., The West Coast Offense, The Steel Curtain, Monsters of the Midway, or the Greatest Show on Turf, chances are it is pretty special. The Greatest Show on Turf, lead by Warner is the only team in NFL history to have three consecutive seasons scoring over 500 points. They began that run in 1999, that season Warner led the league in almost every single offensive category. His 4,353 yards were 2nd, his 41 TD passes were 1st, his 65.1% completion percentage was 1st, and his 109.2 passer rating was 1st. In 2001, he again led the league in TD passes with 36, again led the league in completion percentage with 68.7, again led the league in passer rating with 101.4, and this time led the league in passing yards as well with 4,830 which is the 3rd most passing yards in a season behind Dan Marino and Drew Brees. In fact, Kurt Warner has only had three NFL seasons in which he started all 16 games. In 1999, and you saw those numbers already. In 2001, and you saw those numbers as well, and finally in 2008 with his third NFL team the Arizona Cardinals. All three of those seasons he had over 4,300 passing yards, 30 or more TD passes, a completion percentage of over 65%, and a passer rating of over 96. He is one of only 6 players to have ever won the NFL MVP and Superbowl MVP in the same season, the other five were as follows: Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Emmit Smith, and Steve Young. Are you tired of stats yet, because I could go on and on. He is also a two time league MVP, has one Superbowl victory, and now after the win on Sunday, three Superbowl appearances. I will leave you with one final stat that is probably the most impressive. Kurtis Eugene Warner has only started 16 games for three NFL seasons. He has made the Superbowl in EVERY single season. His playoff record in those three seasons is 8-1, with a chance on February 1st, to make it 9-1, and be a two time Superbowl winning QB. If you didn’t believe me that Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer before reading this article, I am pretty sure you do now. If you don’t, then you my friend are just a hater.