ITP #017: Kurt Warner - The Greatest Fairytale On Turf
By Simon Carroll
The Collapsing Pocket Podcast has been a staple part of many a UK NFL fan’s life since late 2016. Chewing the fat on all things football and many more subjects besides, it takes a distinctly lighthearted approach to the sport we love.
In the offseason, Si, Rob and Sam get serious and bring you a series of podcasts called ‘Inside The Pocket’ (ITP), where they look back at iconic people, events and moments in NFL history that have helped shape the game and make it what it is today. In this ITP they dive into the life of Kurt Warner.
Kids across the world dream of the classic ‘rags to riches’ story that sees them reach the pinnacle of sporting achievement. For Warner, dedication on and off the field allowed that to be reality. Never easy, but always remarkable, Warner’s NFL story turned out to be a two-part blockbuster. Listen in as the guys discuss how faith and determination, toughness and untapped ability led an Iowa man from stacking shelves in a supermarket to hoisting a Lombardi trophy on football’s greatest stage:
ITP #017: Kurt Warner - The Greatest Fairytale On Turf
Please note, despite the three of them being raised well and growing up with very attentive mothers, the Collapsing Pocket Podcast is hosted by three working class northerners and is very much ‘not safe for work’. Whilst the ITP series is a much safer podcast to listen to with your kids in the room, there will still be instances where explicit language is used.
Fighting For His Chance
Unlike many NFL stars, Kurt Warner didn’t particularly have a standout college career, and had to fight tooth and nail to get his opportunity at the highest level. Backed by the love of his wife Brenda, Warner famously stacked shelves in a supermarket at night to allow him to pursue his dream. Three years dominating in the Arena League, followed by a successful spell with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe, saw the St. Louis Rams give him one last shot at an NFL career.
The journey wasn’t easy, but when starting quarterback Trent Green went down ahead of the 1999 season, destiny was in Warner’s hands. Writing possibly the greatest storyline ever told in sports history, the 29 year old took The Rams to Super Bowl glory in his first full season.
Family, Faith & Adversity
Just as it was prior to his arrival on the world stage, Kurt Warner’s NFL career would be anything but a smooth ride. A combination of injuries, poor form and competition from high draft picks saw him benched in St. Louis and in and out of the team in both New York and Arizona. During this time Warner was supported by his wife Brenda, who really changed his life when he met her at a barn dance back in his college days. Brenda helped him truly understand his devotion to Christianity, and it was within this structure that he was able to ride out the tough times on his football journey.
Never one to feel sorry for himself, Warner changed his role on the team from starting quarterback to mentor, always ready to throw the helmet back on when needed.
Part 2
Based on the trajectory of Warner’s career since the Ram’s Super Bowl loss to the Patriots, nobody expected the renaissance that we all witnessed in 2009. Warner regained the Cardinals starting QB job from Matt Leniart and took Arizona on a remarkable run to a Super Bowl appearance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Featuring Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, this Cardinals team captured the imaginations of the NFL faithful and propelled the franchise to heights they had previously never been. Would the ticker tape fall on the Iowa shelf stacker once more? Listen in to find out!