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Kurt Warner

Darin Hayes

The Grocery Clerk to Glory: The Unbelievable Rise of Kurt Warner

Born on June 22, 1971, in Burlington, Iowa, Kurt Warner’s path to football immortality is arguably the greatest Cinderella story in professional sports history.

Kurt Warner, former NFL quarterback, meets with Staff Sgt. Jordan Brown-Stobbe, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team aircraft electrical and environmental systems specialist, before an in incentive flight in the F-16 Viper, Feb. 10, 2022, at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, Calif. The F-16 Viper Demonstration Team is part of the National Anthem flyover for Super Bowl LVI, including a P-51 Mustang, F-35A Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, and an A-10 Thunderbolt II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Codie Trimble)

College Career

Warner attended the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), where he displayed his characteristic perseverance. He sat on the bench for four seasons before finally earning the starting job for his senior year in 1993. He made the most of his opportunity, being named the Gateway Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Despite this success, he was not drafted in the 1994 NFL Draft.

Road to the Pro Game

After a brief, unsuccessful tryout with the Green Bay Packers in 1994, Warner was famously forced to take a job stocking shelves at an Iowa Hy-Vee grocery store to support his family. He refused to abandon his football dream, finding a home in the Arena Football League (AFL), where he starred for the Iowa Barnstormers from 1995 to 1997. His outstanding play in the AFL earned him a contract with the St. Louis Rams in 1998, followed by a stint with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe before he finally made his mark in the NFL.

Football Legacy

Warner’s career is defined by extraordinary success with two different franchises: the St. Louis Rams (1998–2003) and the Arizona Cardinals (2005–2009). Thrust into the starting role for the Rams in 1999 following a preseason injury to Trent Green, Warner immediately orchestrated one of the most remarkable single-season turnarounds in NFL history. He helmed the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense, leading them to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory and earning both NFL and Super Bowl MVP awards that year. Years later, he resurrected the downtrodden Arizona Cardinals franchise, leading them to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XLIII. Warner is the only player to win NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and an NFL championship after being completely undrafted, cementing a legacy built on faith, tenacity, and an unbelievable ability to succeed against all odds. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.


Accolades, Awards, and Career Stats

  • Only player inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Arena Football Hall of Fame.
Accolades & AwardsCareer Stats (NFL)
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2017)Passing Yards: 32,344
2x NFL MVP (1999, 2001)Passing Touchdowns: 208
Super Bowl XXXIV ChampionCompletion Percentage: 65.5%
Super Bowl XXXIV MVPPasser Rating: 93.7
4x Pro Bowl selectionSuper Bowl Record: 1-2 (3 appearances)
2x First-team All-Pro (1999, 2001)Super Bowl Passing Yards: 1,156 (3 games)
2008 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year(Finished with 52 career 300-yard passing games)

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