This topic has been addressed before both here and in other places, but now, as Kurt Warner’s career comes to an end (assuming he doesn’t become the next Brett Favre) the debate surrounding arguably one of the most interesting Hall of Fame case studies out there can begin in earnest.
Warner finishes his career with 208 touchdown passes, which doesn’t put him in the top 20 all-time. With 32,344 yards passing, he falls short of the top 20 there, as well.
He was named to four Pro Bowls and was a first team All-Pro just twice. That’s also decent but not overwhelming.
On the other hand, the man led the league in completion percentage and yards per attempt in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He led in touchdown passes in 1999 and 2001 and yards in 2001, as well.
More importantly, he took three teams to Super Bowl appearances in 12 seasons, winning one with the Greatest Show on Turf and coming close in the other two.
Especially impressive, to me anyway, was the third one last year when he took the long moribund Arizona Cardinals on a playoff ride to remember. He came within a couple minutes of leading the Birds to an upset over the far superior Pittsburgh Steelers.
Now, he wasn’t especially durable. In the 11 seasons starting with the year he took over the helm in St. Louis through this year, he played 16 games just three times. But it’s also important to remember that the accomplishments he did compile started in 1999 when he was already 28 years old.
So, there’s a synopsis. Do the ring and multiple Super Bowl appearances win out? Or does the late start to Warner’s career keep him out?
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Hes a HOFer. His resume is too good to leave him out:
2x NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP. 2 Passing TD titles. 2nd best Comp. percentage. One of 2 players with 100 Passing TD’s with 2 different teams. He owns the top 3 passing yard performances in Super Bowl history. Talk about being good on the big stage?
And there many other accomplishments. I think he will make it no doubt. I don’t think hes a first ballot worthy player, but he will make it.
Yes Warner will make it down the line. I think there are very similar QB’s that are still waiting and are as accomplished. Phil Simms had about the same career with both missing the better part of 3 seasons due to injury/bad coaching/strike or whatever. Funny how 2 different New York Giant coaching staffs put a damper on their career. Warner was nothing more than an overpaid stopgap with Eli in waiting but it did give Kurt time to heal his elbow and I think the Giants would have been better served with Simms over Hostetler in ’91 and ’92 (Handley was a joke with his “Handling” of the QB position).
Nobody can argue Warner’s accomplishments in the postseason but he has only a very pedestrian (if not short and weak) 67-49 regular season record. As a starting QB he had as many sub .500 seasons as he did over. That does not scream HOF.
I think Simms, Kenny Anderson, and possibly even Drew Bledsoe deserve their day in sun before Warner has his.
Good Luck to Kurt. He was always a class act no matter what obstacle he faced.
With Kurt Warner, it’s really hard to say regarding him and the HoF. No other QB has a career remotely like his, and there’s no precedent either way.
I have a feeling that the way the HoF voting committee has been the last several years (voting in trendy candidates without much real thought while turning down deserving less well known players), Warner (certainly a player in the “trendy” category) will likely get elected. But I’m not sure he’s especially worthy, and the arguments I’ve seen in his favor tend to hinge on cherry-picking certain accomplishments at the expense of other considerations (such as career length and number of excellent seasons).
Probably not a 1st ballot HOFer but certianly showed enough greatness to make the HOF in my book. Pretty remarkable considering his lateness to the NFL. His career path reminds me a little of Roger Staubach as does his great character. He will go down as a great leader. He had everything you would want in a great QB minus the intangible of mobility. The NY Giants were a terrible fit. Kurt will probably be remembered as much for the SB’s he lost as the one he won. A big game player!! I hope he remains in the spotlight.
I considered Warner a No vote during that 5 year hole in the middle of his career but the last two years gives him a strong chance for Canton. His career totals are very similar to Steve Young. Brad has listed his major accomplishments which are very impressive.
His career reg season numbers are as follows:
32,344 yds
2666-4040 comp/att
65.5 comp %
208-128 TD/INT ratio
93.7 QB rating
3 4,000 yd seasons (incl 2 over 4,500)
6 3,000 yd seasons (range from 3,417 to 4,830)
5 25+ TD seasons
3 30+ TD seasons (incl a 41 and 36)
2 time MVP
2 time 1st team All-Pro
Joint fastest ever with Dan Marino to reach 30,000 yds (114 games)
52 300 yd games (one of 5 QBs ever to reach 50 and the fastest to do so)
Playoffs:
13 games (9-4 starting record)
3,952 yds
307-462 comp/att
66.5 comp %
31-14 TD-INT ratio
102.8 QB rating (2nd to Bart Starr)
6 games with more than 350 yds.
2 games with 5 TD passes (and another with 4).
Games with QB ratings of 154.1, 145.7, 143.0, 112.3 (SB defeat), 99.7 (SB win).
1 Super Bowl ring
1 Super Bowl MVP (with a record 414 yds passing and a game-winning 80 yd TD pass in the last two mins)
3 Super Bowl appearances (and holds the 3 highest passing yardage games in SB history and the SB career record of 1,156 yds passing)
Most yds passing in a single postseason – 1,147 (2008)
Most TD passes in a single postseason – 11 (2008)
The case against Warner for Canton are those five seasons between 2002-06.
706-1,105
7,940 yds
27 TDs
30 INTs
8-24 as a starter.
He’s a Yes vote but maybe waits 2-3 years.