Report: Warner Will Use Presser To Announce Retirement

NFL News - January 28th, 2010 - Written by John

One of the NFL's best postseason quarterbacks has reportedly played his last down.

Per NFL.com, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will use his upcoming press conference on Friday to announce that he is retiring, ending one of the most charmed 10-year careers in league history.

He was battered two weeks ago in a divisional round loss to the New Orleans Saints, in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass in a postseason game for the first time ever. He told ESPN's Rick Reilly that he was too sore to even play with his kids after the game, and it looked like he was leaning towards retiring.

He suffered a concussion midway through this past season, as well, only adding to his health concerns.

“We would love for Kurt to come back but it’s going to be his decision,” Arizona safety Antrel Rolle said. “I’ve had five great years with Kurt and I’ll definitely miss him if he’s not there, but Kurt’s decision is going to be Kurt’s decision.”

In his brief tenure, Warner was responsible for taking two lowly franchises to the Super Bowl, and was the first quarterback to throw 100 touchdowns for two teams. He has the top-three passing performances in the Super Bowl (pending next Sunday's outcome), appearing in three Super Bowls in 2000, 2002, and 2009.

He only won one of those, the first one with the St. Louis Rams, in his first full season as a starter.

His backstory was one of the most widely-recognized early in his career, from grocery store bagger, to the CFL, to the Rams, who had never gone to the league championship. But he was promoted to starter after the preseason when Trent Green went down with an injury, and Warner threw for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns, and won the league MVP.

He beat the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl that year, and won the game's MVP also.

Last season, he capped his career by taking the Arizona Cardinals, who had never previously made it past the second round of the NFL Playoffs, to the championship game.

Matt Leinart is expected to be the starter next year.

Leinart was taken 11th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, but has struggled in his sparse opportunities since Warner took over.