The Story And Significance Of Brian Dawkins - The First Player In NFL History To Record At Least 30 Interceptions And 30 Forced Fumbles In A Career

Brian Patrick Dawkins Sr., nicknamed "Weapon X", is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft. In his last three seasons, he played for the Denver Broncos.

Regarded as one of the greatest safeties of all time, Dawkins was viewed as the leader of the Eagles defense, named to nine Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. He also made an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX. In addition to his playing career, Dawkins served the Eagles as an executive of football operations for player development from 2016 to 2018 and was with the organization when they won Super Bowl LII. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

The Philadelphia Eagles selected Dawkins in the second round (61st overall) of the 1996 NFL draft. Dawkins was the fifth safety drafted in 1996. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Dawkins using a compensatory pick they received from the departure of Seth Joyner in free agency in 1994.

On July 16, 1996, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Dawkins to a four-year, $1.27 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $443,000.

Dawkins entered training camp slated as the backup free safety behind Eric Zomalt who earned the starting role after Greg Jackson departed in free agency. Head coach Ray Rhodes named Dawkins the backup free safety to start the regular season, behind Eric Zomalt.

He made his professional regular-season debut in the Philadelphia Eagles' season-opener at the Washington Redskins and made one tackle in their 17–14 victory. The following week, Dawkins earned his first career start and collected a season-high 11 combined tackles during a 39–13 loss at the Green Bay Packers in week 2. On September 18, 1996, head coach Ray Rhodes officially named Dawkins the starting free safety, alongside strong safety Mike Zordich, after he surpassed Eric Zomalt on the depth chart. Zomalt was subsequently released the following day. On September 22, 1996, Dawkins recorded four combined tackles and made his first career interception during a 33–18 win at the Atlanta Falcons in week 4. Dawkins made his first career interception off a pass by Falcons' backup quarterback Bobby Hebert, that was originally intended for wide receiver Bert Emanuel, and returned it for a 30-yard gain to seal the Eagles' victory in the fourth quarter. In week 5, he recorded eight combined tackles, forced a fumble, and made his first career sack in the Eagles' 23–19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Dawkins made his first career sack on Cowboys' quarterback Troy Aikman during the third quarter and also stripped the ball during the play. The ball was recovered by Dawkins' teammate Rhett Hall and returned for a 32-yard touchdown. He finished his rookie season in 1996 with 75 combined tackles, three interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble in 14 games and 13 starts. The Philadelphia Eagles' defense ranked 21st in the league overall, but allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards (2,979 yards) in 1996.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished second in the NFC East with a 10–6 record and earned a wildcard berth. On December 29, 1996, Dawkins started in his first career playoff game and recorded six combined tackles as they lost 14–0 to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Game.

Defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas retained Dawkins and Mike Zordich as the starting safeties in 1997, along with cornerbacks Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor.

On September 28, 1997, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 28–19 loss at the Minnesota Vikings in week 5. Dawkins was inactive for a week 8 victory against the Arizona Cardinals due to an injury. On December 7, 1997, Dawkins recorded seven combined tackles and returned an interception for his first career touchdown during the Eagles' 32–21 loss to the New York Giants in week 15. Dawkins intercepted a pass by quarterback Danny Kanell, that was initially thrown to wide receiver Chris Calloway, and returned it for a 64-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He finished the 1997 season with 75 combined tackles, three interceptions, and a touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. The Eagles' defense finished ranked 24th overall, but allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards (2,923 yards) in 1997.

Head coach Ray Rhodes elected to retain the starting secondary for the second consecutive season. On December 7, 1998, Dawkins collected a season-high eight combined tackles and forced a fumble during a 31–21 loss to the New York Giants in week 15. Dawkins was sidelined for two games (Weeks 7–9) due to an injury. Dawkins finished the 1998 season with 55 combined tackles, two interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble in 14 games and 14 starts. On December 28, 1998, the Philadelphia Eagles fired head coach Ray Rhodes after they finished with a 3–13 record in 1998.

On July 16, 1999, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Dawkins to a three-year, $1.27 million contract.

Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Tim Hauck. In week 3, he made six combined tackles, forced a fumble, and made an interception during a 26–0 loss at the Buffalo Bills. Dawkins intercepted a pass by quarterback Doug Flutie, that was originally intended for wide receiver Peerless Price, in the second quarter. His performance was his third consecutive game with an interception. In week 9, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles in the Eagles' 33–7 loss at the Carolina Panthers. He finished the 1999 season with 73 combined tackles, six forced fumbles, four interceptions, 1.5 sacks, and a touchdown in 14 games and 14 starts. Dawkins flourished in his first season under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson and was subsequently named to the 2000 Pro Bowl, marking the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

In week 11, Dawkins collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 26–23 victory at the Pittsburgh Steelers. The following week, he recorded seven combined tackles and made a season-high two sacks on Cardinals' quarterback Jake Plummer during the Eagles' 34–9 win at the Arizona Cardinals in week 12. Dawkins finished the 2000 season with a total of 75 combined tackles, four interceptions, two sacks, and a forced fumble in 13 games and 13 starts.

Head coach Andy Reid retained the core of the starting secondary as the starters, including Dawkins, Troy Vincent, and Bobby Taylor. Dawkins was paired with starting strong safety Damon Moore in 2001.

He started in the Philadelphia Eagles' season-opener against the St. Louis Rams and collected a season-high eight combined tackles and deflected three passes in their 20–17 loss. On December 9, 2001, Dawkins tied his season-high of eight combined tackles, broke up two passes, forced a fumble, and returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown during the Eagles' 24–14 win against the San Diego Chargers in week 13. Dawkins forced a fumble by Chargers' running back LaDainian Tomlinson in the first quarter and recovered the ball before returning it for a 49-yard touchdown. On December 16, 2001, he made six solo tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by quarterback Tony Banks in the Eagles' 20–6 victory against the Washington Redskins in week 14. He finished the season with 68 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, and a touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. The Philadelphia Eagles defense ranked second in the league in 2001 and the secondary continued to have success under position coaches Leslie Frazier and Steve Spagnuolo. The secondary allowed the second-fewest yards in the league (2,928 yards) and allowed the second-fewest touchdown passes (13). On January 3, 2002, Dawkins was one of five Philadelphia Eagles' players named to the 2002 Pro Bowl.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished first in the NFC East with an 11–5 record. Head coach Andy Reid opted to rest Dawkins for the Eagles' week 17 victory at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they had already clinched a playoff berth. On January 12, 2002, Dawkins recorded two combined tackles, broke up two passes, and made an interception during a 31–9 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Game. The following week, they defeated the Chicago Bears 33–19 in the NFC Divisional Round. On January 27, 2002, Dawkins recorded six solo tackles and deflected a pass as the Eagles lost 29–24 at the St. Louis Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Blaine Bishop. The secondary also included returning cornerbacks Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, and Al Harris.

On September 29, 2002, Dawkins recorded six combined tackles, a sack, two pass deflections, an interception, forced a fumble, and caught his first career touchdown pass during a 35–17 victory against the Houston Texans in week 4. Dawkins' 57-yard touchdown reception came on a shuffle pass by running back Brian Mitchell during a fake punt in the third quarter. Dawkins became the first player in NFL history to make a sack, an interception, recover a fumble, and have a touchdown reception in a single game. In week 17, he collected a season-high ten combined tackles (seven solo) during a 10–7 loss at the New York Giants. Dawkins started all 16 games in 2002 and recorded 91 combined tackles (62 solo), nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles, three sacks, two interceptions, and one touchdown reception. Jimmy Johnson's defense continued to have moderate success and finished the season ranked second behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles' defense also ranked seventh in passing yards allowed (3,094 yards) and tied for seventh in passing touchdowns allowed (18). On January 14, 2003, it was announced that Dawkins was selected to play in the 2003 Pro Bowl. The Eagles' secondary had three players selected in 2003, including Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished first in the NFC East with a 12–4 record and earned a first-round bye. On January 11, 2003, Dawkins made four combined tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception during a 20–6 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Divisional Round. They were eliminated from the playoffs the following week after losing 27–10 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game.

On April 28, 2003, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Dawkins to a six-year, $43 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $8 million. The contract extension was added to the one year Dawkins had remaining on his pre-existing contract.

Dawkins remained the starting free safety in 2003 and was coached by defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo and assistant defensive backs coach Sean McDermott. Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starter to begin the regular season, along with starting strong safety Michael Lewis and cornerbacks Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, and Lito Sheppard. He started in the Philadelphia Eagles' season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and collected a season-high nine combined tackles before exiting in the fourth quarter of their 17–0 loss due to a sprained ankle. His injury sidelined him for the next eight games (Weeks 2–10). Dawkins was also inactive for the Eagles' week 12 win against the New Orleans Saints due to a foot injury. He finished the 2003 season with 35 combined tackles (28 solo), five pass deflections, an interception, and was credited with half a sack in seven games and seven starts.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished atop their division with a 12–4 record. On January 11, 2004, Dawkins recorded eight solo tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception by Brett Favre for a 35-yard gain to set up a 31-yard field goal to help the Eagles win the NFC Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers 20–17. The following week, they lost to the Carolina Panthers 14–3 in the NFC Championship Game after Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb was intercepted three times by Panthers' safety Ricky Manning.

Dawkins and Michael Lewis returned as the starting safety duo and also played alongside cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown after Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor departed in free agency. On November 7, 2004, Dawkins collected a season-high nine solo tackles, broke up a pass, and made an interception during a 27–3 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers. In week 14, he made six combined tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception in the Eagles' 17–14 win at the Washington Redskins. His interception continued his streak of three consecutive games with an interception. On December 23, 2004, it was announced that Dawkins was selected to play in the 2005 Pro Bowl, along with Michael Lewis and Lito Sheppard. He finished the 2004 season with 69 combined tackles (64 solo), eight passes defensed, four interceptions, three sacks, and two forced fumbles in 15 games and 15 starts. Head coach Andy Reid elected to rest Dawkins for the Eagles' week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals as they had already clinched a playoff berth.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished first in the NFC East with a 13–3 record and earned a first-round bye. The Eagles reached the NFC Championship Game after losing and being eliminated from the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. On January 23, 2005, Dawkins made a tackle, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick during a 27–10 win against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game. Dawkins played a key role and delivered a devastating hit on Falcons' tight end Alge Crumpler during the game. On February 6, 2005, Dawkins recorded five combined tackles as the Eagles lost 24–21 to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl. This became Dawkins' first and only Super Bowl appearance.

Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson retained the starting secondary in 2005. On December 11, 2005, Dawkins made four combined tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, a sack, and an interception in the Eagles' 26–23 loss to the New York Giants in week 14. In week 16, Dawkins collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 27–21 loss at the Arizona Cardinals. He started in all 16 games in 2005 and recorded 77 combined tackles (66 solo), a career-high 19 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions.

On January 26, 2006, it was announced that Dawkins was named to the 2006 Pro Bowl as a late-replacement for Chicago Bears' safety Mike Brown who was inactive due to an injury.

Head coach Andy Reid elected to retain Dawkins and Michael Lewis as the starting safety duo, along with cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard in 2006. In week 6, Dawkins began playing alongside Sean Considine after he surpassed Michael Lewis on the depth chart and remained the starter for the rest of the season. On December 17, 2006, Dawkins collected a season-high 12 combined tackles (11 solo), two pass deflections, and an interception during a 36–22 win at the New York Giants in week 15. On December 20, 2006, Dawkins was named to the 2007 Pro Bowl. Dawkins started in all 16 games in 2006 and recorded 93 combined tackles (71 solo), nine pass deflections, five forced fumbles, four pass interceptions, and a sack.

Dawkins returned as the starting free safety in 2007, alongside strong safety Sean Considine. On September 17, 2007, he recorded four solo tackles and deflected a pass before exiting the Eagles' 20–12 loss to the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football due to an injury. Dawkins was sidelined for the next five games (Weeks 3–8) due to a neck injury he sustained against the Redskins. In week 10, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles and deflected a pass during a 33–25 victory at the Washington Redskins. He was also inactive for the Eagles' week 17 win against the Buffalo Bills. Dawkins finished the season with 37 combined tackles (28 solo), six pass deflections, and an interception in ten games and ten starts.

Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starting free safety, alongside strong safety Quintin Mikell and cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel. In week 5, he collected a season-high eight solo tackles and a sack during a 23–17 loss to the Washington Redskins. His sack on Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell was the 20th sack of his career. He joined the 20/20 club after becoming the tenth player in NFL history to have 20 sacks and 20 interceptions in a career. His total at the time stood at 20 career sacks and 33 interceptions. He also broke fellow Jacksonville native and former Eagles' wide receiver Harold Carmichael's franchise record of 180 career games. He started in all 16 games in 2008 and recorded 75 combined tackles (64 solo), six pass deflections, three sacks, and an interception.

He is also a member of the 30/30 club of players who have at least 30 interceptions and 30 forced fumbles. He and Charles Tillman are the only players to record at least 35 of each. (Forced fumbles have only been a recorded stat since 1991.) He finished his career with the Eagles starting 182 of 183 games, recording 898 tackles, 34 interceptions, 32 forced fumbles, and 26 sacks.

On February 28, 2009, the Denver Broncos signed Dawkins to a five-year, $17 million contract that included $7.2 million guaranteed. He joined another teammate, Correll Buckhalter, who also signed with the Broncos. The contract also included a termination clause that permitted Dawkins to opt out of the contract after two years and receives an extra $1.8 million, virtually making the contract for two years and $9 million. Dawkins could have also earned an additional $10 million in performance incentives. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dawkins were discussing a possible two-year contract before Dawkins received interest from the Denver Broncos.

Head coach Josh McDaniels named Dawkins the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Renaldo Hill and cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman. In week 10, he collected a season-high 14 combined tackles (12 solo) during a 27–17 loss at the Washington Redskins. On December 13, 2009, Dawkins made ten combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted two pass attempts by quarterback Peyton Manning during the Broncos' 28–16 loss at the Indianapolis Colts in week 14. On December 27, 2009, Dawkins recorded eight combined tackles in his return to Lincoln Financial Field during a 30–27 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in week 16. On December 29, 2009, it was announced that Dawkins was selected to the 2008 Pro Bowl. He started all 16 games in 2009 and recorded 116 combined tackles (95 solo), 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. Following the 2009 season, Dawkins was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team as a first team safety alongside Ed Reed; the second team safety group consisted of Darren Sharper and future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu.

On January 18, 2010, the Denver Broncos mutually parted ways with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. They promoted linebackers coach Don Martindale to defensive coordinator. Head coach Josh McDaniels elected to retain the starting secondary in 2009. Dawkins was sidelined for two games (Weeks 6–7) due to a knee injury. He further aggravated his knee injury and was inactive for another three games (Weeks 13–15). On December 7, 2009, the Denver Broncos fired head coach Josh McDaniels after they fell to a 3–9 record. In week 16, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles and deflected a pass during a 24–23 win against the Houston Texans. He finished the season with 66 combined tackles (55 solo), five pass deflections, two sacks, and an interception in 11 games and 11 starts.

Head coach John Fox named Dawkins the starting strong safety to begin the regular season, alongside free safety Rahim Moore. He started in the Denver Broncos' season-opener against the Oakland Raiders and collected a season-high nine combined tackles in their 23–20 loss. On October 23, 2011, Dawkins made five combined tackles and two sacks during an 18–15 win at the Miami Dolphins in week 7. He was sidelined for a game in week 15 and week 17 due to a reoccurring neck injury. He finished the season with 51 combined tackles (38 solo), six pass deflections, three sacks, and a forced fumble in 14 games and 12 starts. On January 19, 2012, it was announced that Dawkins would play in the 2012 Pro Bowl as a late injury replacement for Pittsburgh Steelers' safety Troy Polamalu.

After calling Fox on April 23, 2012, Dawkins announced via Twitter that he was retiring from the NFL. His reasoning was he wanted to retire while he was still healthy. He planned to stay in Colorado, and wanted to begin coaching high school football that fall.

On April 28, 2012, Dawkins alongside Jeffrey Lurie announced that he would sign a one-day contract, and retire as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles retired Dawkins' number 20 in a ceremony at half-time of their September 30 game against the New York Giants. The Eagles have retired only nine players' jerseys in franchise history, which goes back more than 80 years.

On February 4, 2018, it was announced that Dawkins was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was one of five players selected. Dawkins joined Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis, and former Eagles teammate Terrell Owens.

On August 4, 2018, Dawkins was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and attended the ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He was the first former Clemson player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Over the span of his career, Dawkins developed a reputation as a ball-hawking safety and became the unquestioned leader of the Philadelphia Eagles' defense. He earned the nickname "Weapon X," a codename of Marvel character Wolverine, the comic book superhero known for relentless aggression. He emerged as one of the top safeties in the league and was a defensive captain for the majority of his stints with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. Dawkins is considered to be one of the top safeties in NFL history and was ranked as the fifth best safety in NFL history by NFL analyst Gil Brandt.

As a captain and unquestioned leader, Dawkins has acted as a mentor to multiple players early in their career, including Al Harris, Chris Harris Jr., Jason Avant, and Quintin Mikell. Chris Harris Jr. credits Dawkins and Champ Bailey for urging the Denver Broncos' coaching staff to play him as an undrafted rookie after he showed promise and performed well in practice squad.

On September 5, 2012, it was announced that Dawkins was hired as an NFL studio analyst by ESPN.

On July 30, 2016, Dawkins returned to the Eagles to take a role on the team's scouting staff. On August 17, 2016, Dawkins was given the new role of Football Operations Executive to assist with player development.

On May 22, 2018, Dawkins resigned as Football Operations Executive to seek other opportunities.

Sources

""Selection Saturday" Results In, Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018 | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved August 7, 2018.

 Reid, John (August 3, 2018). "Brian Dawkins: From Yancey Park to Pro Football Hall of Fame". The Florida Times-Union.

 Posnanski, Joe (December 1, 2021). "Pro Football 101: Troy Polamalu, Brian Dawkins changed the game for safeties". Fox Sports.

 Brian Dawkins Is Making Bone Crushing Hits In The NFL Archived December 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

 Dawkins, Kriese head Clemson Hall of Fame picks[permanent dead link]

 "Clemson Institutes Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award". Clemson University Athletics. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2013.

 "Brian Dawkins To Be First Recipient of the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award at Clemson". Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2013.

 "Dane Brugler on Twitter".

 "Brian Dawkins Combine Results". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.

 "1996 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 30, 2023.

 "Brian Patrick Dawkins". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2012.

 "1996 NFL Draft Transactions". prosportstransactions.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Spotrac.com: Brian Dawkins contract". Spotrac.com. Retrieved October 15, 2025.

 "Brian Dawkins: 50 things to know about the former Eagle and soon-to-be Hall of Famer". Barkowit, Ed. July 31, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 Patton, Steve (September 19, 1996). "Dawkins arrives and Zomalt exits". Reading Eagle. Retrieved June 16, 2011.

 "NFL #20 Brian Dawkins (1996)". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.[dead link]

 "NFL Draft rewind: Eagles draft future Hall Of Fame safety Brian Dawkins". insidetheiggles.com. April 22, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons - September 22nd, 1996". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - September 30th, 1996". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (career)". NFL.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "1996 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (1996)". NFL.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "1997 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (1997)". NFL.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles - December 7th, 1997". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL #20 Brian Dawkins -ESPN (1997)". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.[dead link]

 "1997 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "1998 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (1998)". NFL.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Scouting Report". dailypress.com. November 15, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL #20 Brian Dawkins -ESPN (1998)". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.[dead link]

 "Eagles Fire Head Coach Ray Rhodes". apnews.com. December 28, 1998. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "1999 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills - September 26th, 1999". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "NFL #20 Brian Dawkins -ESPN (1999)". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.[dead link]

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (1999)". NFL.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 Schwartz, Bryn (November 23, 2008). "Weapon X: Is Brian Dawkins Worthy of the Hall of Fame?". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals - November 19th, 2000". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "Explain Dc motor starters- two point, three point, four point starters)". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 "2002 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "San Diego Chargers at Philadelphia Eagles - December 9th, 2001". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles - December 16th, 2001". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "2001 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "Five Eagles named to Pro Bowl". pottsmerc.com. January 3, 2002. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2001)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "2002 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "Today in Philly Sports History: Dawkins Goes Nuts, 2002". nbcsports.com. September 29, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 Mullin, John (January 14, 2003). "Eagles boast Fab 4". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2002)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

 Pasquerelli, Len (April 28, 2003). "Dawkins signs contract extension". espncdn.com. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

 "2003 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 3, 2018.

 "Safety Dawkins has sprained foot". ESPN.com. September 10, 2003. Retrieved September 3, 2018.

 "QB tosses for 259 yards, 2 TDs". ESPN.com. November 23, 2003. Retrieved September 3, 2018.

 "Eagles changed after loss to Panthers in 2004 NFC Championship Game". ESPN.com. January 14, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Carolina Corrals McNabb, Philly". newsok.com. January 19, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "2004 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2004)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "2005 NFL Pro Bowl Roster". desertnews.com. December 23, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2005)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Brian Dawkins Named to Pro Bowl". nbcsports.com. January 26, 2006. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Pro Bowler to bowled over? Eagles' Lewis struggling". ESPN. Associated Press. October 17, 2006. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2006)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Eagles secondary without Pro Bowlers Dawkins, Sheppard". NFL.com. September 23, 2007. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2007)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "2005 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Broncos add to defense, ink-free agent Dawkins". March 2, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2017.

 "Official Blog of the National Football League". Retrieved February 24, 2017.

 "Official Site of the Denver Broncos". Archived from the original on February 11, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2017.

 "Ourlads.com: Denver Broncos Depth Chart: 09/06/2009". Ourlads.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "NFL Player stats: Brian Dawkins (2009)". NFL.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s - DEFENSE". Pro Football Hall of Fame. February 16, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2025.

 "Brian Dawkins, Champ Bailey are NFL all-decade selections". Florida Times-Union. January 29, 2010.

 "Broncos part ways with Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan". denverpost.com. January 16, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Rotoworld.com: Brian Dawkins". rotoworld.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Josh McDaniels fired; RB coach tabbed". ESPN.com. December 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Ourlads.com: Denver Broncos Depth Chart: 09/04/2011". Ourlads.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Brian Dawkins Injury: Could Neck Injury End Dawkins' Career?". denver.sbnation.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 "Brian Dawkins adds to Pro Bowl total". ESPN.com. January 19, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2018.

 Stapleton, Arnie (April 23, 2012). "Jacksonville native Brian Dawkins decides 16 seasons is sweet enough". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved April 24, 2012.

 "Denver Broncos Brian Dawkins tweets he will retire from NFL". NFL.COM. Retrieved April 24, 2012.

 CSNPHILLY.COM STAFF (April 27, 2012). "Dawkins to sign one-day contract, retire as Eagle". Retrieved April 28, 2012.

 Davis, Nate (September 30, 2012). "Brian Dawkins does pregame dance for Eagles before getting No. 20 jersey retired". USA Today. Retrieved October 23, 2012.

 Legwold, Jeff (February 4, 2018). "Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Brian Dawkins, Brian Urlacher among 2018 HOF class". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

 Connolly, Matt (August 3, 2018). "Brian Dawkins explains what it means to be first Clemson player in NFL Hall of Fame". The State.

 "Dawkins doesn't miss a trick, or a scoring chance". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 25, 1999. Retrieved August 2, 2014.

 Heath, John. "Denver's Brian Dawkins: An Ageless Wolverine". BroncoTalk. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2012.

 Brandt, Gil (July 5, 2017). "Gil Brandt's greatest NFL safeties of all time". NFL.com. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "Jason Avant: It was a Blessing Being Around Brian Dawkins". 973espn.com. August 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "Current And Former Eagles React To Brian Dawkins' Retirement". bleedinggreennation.com. April 23, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 "Denver Broncos: Brian Dawkins' impact was enormous". predominantlyorange.com. August 4, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

 Nwulu, Mac (September 5, 2012). "Nine-time Pro Bowl Safety Brian Dawkins Joins ESPN as NFL Studio Analyst". espnmediazone.com. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

 Zangaro, Dave (August 16, 2016). "Eagles hire Brian Dawkins as Football Operations Executive". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 2, 2018.

 "Brian Dawkins stepping down from full-time role with Eagles". May 22, 2018.

 "NFL Most Forced Fumbles | Playerfilter". www.playerfilter.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2016.

 "Brian Dawkins' Wife Connie Kerrin". November 27th, 2010. Baller Wives. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2012.

 "News - Around the NFL". NFL.com. Retrieved February 24, 2017.

 "Apps - Access My Library - Gale". Retrieved February 24, 2017.

 "Brian Dawkins: Christianity has helped me deal with depression". July 30, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2020.

 Benjamin, Cody (August 6, 2018). "Brian Dawkins: 'Heavenly Father' guided my Hall of Fame career". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved October 16, 2020.

 Klein, Michael. "Buy Brian Dawkins' house", The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 16, 2009. Accessed March 17, 2011. "Seven-time Pro Bowler and former Eagle Brian Dawkins are with the Denver Broncos now, and so his house in Voorhees is on the market."

 Dawkins Gives Fired Worker 2 Tickets ESPN, April 5, 2009

 "Dalyn Dawkins transferring to Colorado State football from Purdue". Retrieved February 24, 2017.

 "Proud Nephew: Titans RB Dalyn Dawkins Treasures Advice from HOF Uncle Brian Dawkins". Retrieved May 26, 2022.

 "Brian Dawkins and Wawa team up to make special 'Dawk' hoagie | RSN". April 12, 2019.

The Story And Significance Of Robert Brazile - All-Pro For Five Consecutive Seasons For The Houston Oilers

Robert Lorenzo Brazile Jr., nicknamed "Dr. Doom", is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League. Brazile played from 1975 to 1984 for the Houston Oilers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Brazile was taken with the sixth pick of the first round of the 1975 NFL draft. It was part of the bounty Sid Gillman acquired along with Curley Culp when he traded John Matuszak to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it would be new head coach/general manager Bum Phillips who made the selection.

Phillips' arrival in Houston also brought a change in the base defense the Oilers ran, switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The 3–4 would prove to be a perfect fit for Brazile's combination of size (6'4", 230 lbs) and great speed. While most cite Lawrence Taylor as the prototype of the pass-rushing outside linebacker in the NFL, there are some, including Phillips, who say Brazile was the one who first made the 3–4 popular for sending an outside linebacker to rush the quarterback. Brazile also performed well in pass coverage and against the run, consistently ranking at or near the top for the team lead in tackles even though opponents often avoided his side of the field.

Brazile found immediate success with the Oilers, winning the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award for the 1975 season. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven straight seasons, was All-Pro five straight seasons (1976–80), and was selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1970s. In 1978 and 1979, Brazile was a key member of Oilers teams that went to back-to-back AFC Championship Games.

After a third straight postseason loss in 1980, Phillips was fired by Oilers owner Bud Adams and the team entered a period of steep decline. The constant losing wore on Brazile and caused him to contemplate retiring. However, he has said it was the death of his first wife, Cookie, in a car wreck in Houston in 1984, that made the decision for him.

Officially, Brazile finished his career with 11 quarterback sacks. Unofficially, his career sack total is 48 (sacks did not become an official NFL statistic until 1982). He is also credited with 1,281 tackles, the second highest total in Houston Oilers / Tennessee Titans history.

On August 24, 2017, Brazile and former Green Bay Packers guard Jerry Kramer were named as seniors committee finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018. He was announced as member of the class of 2018 on February 3, 2018. Robert Brazile was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 4, 2018, and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers.

On October 14, 2018, Brazile was inducted to the Titans-Oilers Ring of Honor.

After retiring from the NFL, Brazile, along with ex-Oiler teammate Ken Burrough, coached for a minor league pro team in Mobile, Alabama. After needing quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2004, Brazile gave up coaching and became a middle-school teacher for children with special needs in Mobile. He has also become an avid tennis player. When asked if his old "Dr. Doom" persona ever comes out on the tennis court, he's quoted as saying laughingly, "No more Dr. Doom," "Just Robert Brazile."

In 2007, Brazile was inducted into the Bancorp Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

Sources

Houstonprofootball.com

 Litsky, Frank (November 30, 1989). "Taylor is Sidelined for the Eagles Game". The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2008.

 The Super '70s: Memories from Pro Football's Greatest Era

 Houston's All-Time Team | HoustonProFootball.com

 hickoksports.com Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine

 "Remembering the Luv Ya Blue Oilers". Chron.com – Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2008.

 "chron.com". Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2008.

 "Big Time Brazile". Caller.com – Corpus-Christi Caller-Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2010.

 "Big Time Brazile". Caller.com – Corpus-Christi Caller-Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2010.

 "Packers legend Jerry Kramer named Pro Football Hall of Fame senior finalist". Retrieved August 24, 2017.

 "Robert Brazile Inducted Into Ring of Honor". October 14, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.

 "Oilers were toast of Houston and nearly NFL, too". Chron.com – Houston Chronicle. December 9, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2008.

 "Catching up with the Luv Ya Blue crew". Chron.com – Houston Chronicle. December 9, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2008.

 chron.com

 "Former JSU great and Houston Oiler inducted into Mississippi Sports HOF". jsutigers.com – Jackson State – Athletics. Archived from the original on March 14, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2008.

The Story And Significance Of Bobby Beathard - General Manager For Five Super Bowl Teams Winning Three Of Them

Robert King Beathard Jr. was an American professional football executive who was the general manager for the Washington Redskins (1978–1988) and the San Diego Chargers (1990–2000) of the National Football League. His teams won four Super Bowls and competed in three others during his 38 years in the NFL, doing so with the Kansas City Chiefs (1966), Miami Dolphins (1972 and 1973), Redskins (1982, 1983, and 1987), and the Chargers (1994). Beathard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Beathard joined the Kansas City Chiefs as a part-time scout in 1963. He left the Chiefs for the American Football League before returning to Kansas City in 1966. Beathard then served as a scout for the Atlanta Falcons from 1968 through 1971. He was named director of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins in 1972, succeeding Joe Thomas. From 1972 to 1973, the Dolphins would go 26–2 with two Super Bowl victories, including a perfect season in 1972.

Beathard was named general manager of the Washington Redskins in 1978. Prominent draft picks for the Redskins under his tenure include Art Monk, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Dexter Manley, Charlie Brown, Darrell Green, Charles Mann, and Gary Clark. Beathard resigned from the team prior to the 1989 NFL draft and spent that year as a studio analyst with NFL on NBC. In 1990, Beathard became the general manager of the San Diego Chargers. In 1994, the organization won the AFC Championship and appeared in its first Super Bowl. He retired in 2000.

Beathard resided with his wife Christine in Franklin, Tennessee. Beathard's younger brother, Pete Beathard, was a quarterback at USC, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Oilers. One of Beathard's sons, Casey Beathard, is a country music songwriter. Another son, Kurt Beathard, is a football coach, formerly the offensive coordinator for Illinois State. A third son, Jeff, is a scout for the Commanders, and was Mr. Irrelevant, being the last pick in the 1988 NFL draft.

His grandson, Jeffery "Bobo" Beathard, played four years at Appalachian State University as a wide receiver; while other grandsons, C. J. Beathard and Tucker Beathard, are a quarterback and a singer-songwriter respectively. Another of Beathard's grandsons, Clayton Beathard, was fatally stabbed in a bar fight in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2019.

Beathard participated in the 1984 New York City Marathon. From 2005 to 2009, Beathard was a consecutive 5 time first-place winner in the men's age 65 and over group at the World Bodysurfing Championships held annually in Oceanside, California. Beathard was inducted into the Cal Poly Mustangs Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Chargers Hall of Fame in 2018. Beathard died on January 30, 2023, from Alzheimer's disease at his home in Franklin, Tennessee.

Sources

 Brown, Daniel. "49ers Analysis: How rookie C.J. Beathard showed promise of better days ahead," The Mercury News August 20, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2020

 Cal Poly Mustang Football 1978 Media Guide. Cal Poly Athletics. 1978. pp. 56–57.

 Attner, Paul; Shapiro, Leonard (April 12, 1981). "BOBBY BEATHARD". Retrieved December 25, 2017 – via www.WashingtonPost.com.

 Coleman, Madeline (February 1, 2023). "Super Bowl-Winning NFL Executive Bobby Beathard Dies at 86". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 1, 2023.

 Wallace, William N. "Cards Get Anderson, Send Lane to Packers," The New York Times, Wednesday, February 23, 1972. Retrieved September 27, 2020

 Belson, Ken (February 1, 2023). "Bobby Beathard, Mastermind of N.F.L. Dynasties, Dies at 86". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 2, 2023.

 Doerschuk, Steve. "Bobby Beathard had to fight his way to Hog Heaven". CantonRep.com. Retrieved January 7, 2020.

 "Riding into sunset". The Californian. April 26, 2000 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon

 "Bobby Beathard". Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2011.

 "Casey Beathard". Broadcast Music Incorporated. December 2004. Retrieved December 28, 2007.

 "College coach abruptly quits, puts 'All Lives Matter to Our Lord' sign on office door while leaving". September 27, 2020.

 "Illinois State Athletics". www.goredbirds.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2016.

 Wojciechowski, Gene (May 29, 1988). "NFL's 333rd Pick Is Making the Most of Next to Nothing".

 "Man sentenced in 2019 murder of two outside Nashville bar, one of them a Rhodes student". July 7, 2022.

 Bock, Hal (October 26, 1984). "Marathon Week can be hazardous to health". Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina. AP. p. 17. Retrieved January 11, 2011.

 "World Bodysurfing Championships - 2006 Contest Results". Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014.

 "Cal Poly". Cal Poly. Retrieved December 25, 2017.

 "Longtime Chargers GM Bobby Beathard Elected to Hall of Fame". Los Angeles Chargers. February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2018.

 Miller, Jeff (September 7, 2018). "Joey Bosa to miss Chargers' opener with left foot injury". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 16, 2019.

 Rifkin, Glenn. "Bobby Beathard, Hall of Fame football executive, dies at 86". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 1, 2023.

The History Of The Professional Football League of America

The Professional Football League of America (PFLA) was an American football minor league that operated in the Midwest region of the United States from 1965 through 1967. With franchises based in the Midwest, the league played three seasons before merging some teams into the Continental Football League.

The Professional Football League of America began play in 1965. The Des Moines Warriors, Grand Rapids Blazers, Joliet Explorers, Lincoln Comets, Omaha Mustangs and Rock Island Raiders were charter members of the league. The Professional Football League of America evolved from the disbanded United Football League, and began play in the fall of 1965. The Joliet Explorers swept the Grand Rapids Blazers in a two–game championship series.

In 1966, the Rock Island Raiders franchise moved to neighboring Davenport, Iowa and changed names to become the "Quad City Raiders." The Lincoln Comets franchise did not return to league play. The Omaha Mustangs won the 1966 PFLA championship game, defeating the Des Moines Warriors 27–7 at home with 4,530 in attendance.

In their final season of play, the Pro Football League of America expanded, adding the Alabama Hawks, Chicago Owls and Oklahoma City Plainsmen franchises. The 1967 league played in two divisions. In May 1967, the Joliet franchise became an affiliate of the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League and changed their moniker to become the "Joliet Chargers" for the 1967 season. The 1967 Des Moines Warriors were an affiliate of the Minnesota Vikings. In 1967, the Alabama Hawks won the Western Division with a 9–3 record and hosted the PFLA's championship game at Milton Frank Stadium, losing 31–20 to the Joliet Chargers, who had won the Eastern Division with a 10–2 record.

The PFLA permanently folded following the 1967 season. In February 1968, the Continental Football League expanded to include some of the Pro Football League of America teams and continued play. The merger allowed the Continental Football League to expand into the midwestern United States. The Des Moines and Joliet Franchises did not join the league.

Sources

"UFL West Clubs Form Own Loop". The Indianapolis Star. Associated Press. February 7, 1965.

 "1965 Pro Football League of America - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.

 "1964-1967 Joliet Explorers / Joliet Chargers". December 21, 2014.

 Moackler, Jim (November 14, 1966). "27-7 Loss To Warriors In Playoff". The Des Moines Register.

 "1966 Pro Football League of America - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.

 "1966 Omaha Mustangs (PFLA) - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.

 "1967 Pro Football League of America - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.

 "Continental, Professional Leagues Join". Chicago Tribune. United Press International. February 5, 1968. pp. 2–3.

The Story And Significance Of Kurt Warner - Most Passing Yards Per Game In NFL Playoff History

Kurtis Eugene Warner is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, which saw him ascend from an undrafted free agent to a two-time Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl MVP, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Cinderella stories in NFL history.

After playing college football for the Northern Iowa Panthers from 1990 to 1993, Warner spent four years without being named to an NFL roster. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers in 1994, but released before the regular season and instead played three seasons for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League (AFL). Warner landed his first NFL roster spot in 1998 with the Rams, holding a backup position until he was thrust into becoming St. Louis's starter the following season. During his first season as an NFL starting quarterback, Warner led The Greatest Show on Turf offense to the Rams' first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXIV, earning him league and Super Bowl MVP honors. He won his second league MVP award two years later en route to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI. Released from St. Louis in 2004 amid a performance decline, Warner spent one season with the New York Giants before revitalizing his career in Arizona. His most successful season with the Cardinals was in 2008 when he led them to the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XLIII.

Considered the NFL's greatest undrafted player, Warner is the only undrafted player to be named NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP and the only undrafted quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. He was also the first quarterback to win a Super Bowl during his first season as the primary starter. Warner was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. He is the only player inducted to both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Arena Football Hall of Fame.

Following his college career, Warner went undrafted in the 1994 NFL draft. He was invited to try out for the Green Bay Packers' training camp in 1994, but was released before the regular season began. Warner was competing for a spot against Brett Favre, Mark Brunell, and former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. While Warner was with the Packers, the head coach was Mike Holmgren, the quarterback coach was Steve Mariucci, and Andy Reid was the offensive assistant.

In 1994, after his release, Warner stocked shelves and faced products at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls for $5.50 an hour. He worked the night shift from 9:30 -10 p.m. to 4:00 - 5 a.m. so he could work out and train for football during the day. Warner often cites this starting point when telling of his rise to NFL stardom in 1999. He also mentions that his deepened dedication to Christianity occurred around 1997. Warner returned to Northern Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant coach with the football team, while still hoping to get another tryout with an NFL team.

With no NFL teams willing to give him a chance, Warner turned to the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1995 and signed with the Iowa Barnstormers. He was named to the AFL's First-team All-Arena in both 1996 and 1997 after he led the Barnstormers to ArenaBowl appearances in both seasons. Warner's performance was so impressive that he was later named twelfth out of the 20 Best Arena Football Players of all time.

Before the 1997 NFL season, Warner requested and got a tryout with the Chicago Bears, but an injury to his throwing elbow caused by an unknown insect bite sustained during his honeymoon prevented him from attending. In 2000, after Warner's breakout NFL season, the AFL used his new fame for the name of its first widely available video game, Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed. Years later, on August 12, 2011, he would be inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame.

In December 1997 after the St. Louis Rams' season ended, Warner signed a future contract with the team. In February 1998, he was allocated to NFL Europe to play for the Amsterdam Admirals, where he led the league in touchdowns and passing yards. His backup at the time was future Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme. Returning to the United States, Warner spent the 1998 season as St. Louis's third-string quarterback behind Tony Banks and Steve Bono, beating out former Virginia Tech quarterback Will Furrer. He ended his season completing only 4 of 11 pass attempts for 39 yards and a 47.2 quarterback rating.

Prior to the 1999 free-agency period, the Rams chose Warner to be one of the team's five unprotected players in the 1999 NFL expansion draft. Warner went unselected by the Cleveland Browns, who chose no Rams and whose only quarterback selection was Scott Milanovich. Warner and the Rams had feared his being selected by the Browns upon learning the Browns hired John Hufnagel for their coaching staff, as Hufnagel had been a rival coach from Warner's Arena League days.

The Rams let Bono leave in free agency and signed Trent Green to be the starter. Banks was traded to the Ravens, and Warner now found himself second on the depth chart. After Green suffered a torn ACL via a low hit by Rodney Harrison in a preseason game, Rams coach Dick Vermeil named Warner as the Rams' starter. In an emotional press conference, Vermeil—who had not seen Warner work with the first-string offense—said, "We will rally around Kurt Warner, and we'll play good football." With the support of running back Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim, and Ricky Proehl, Warner put together one of the top seasons by a quarterback in NFL history, throwing for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 65.1%. The Rams' high-powered offense, run by offensive coordinator Mike Martz, was nicknamed "The Greatest Show on Turf" and registered the first in a string of three consecutive 500-point seasons, an NFL record.

Warner threw three touchdown passes in each of his first three NFL starts, an NFL record until it was surpassed by Patrick Mahomes in 2018. Warner drew more attention in the Rams' fourth game of the season, a home game against the San Francisco 49ers (who had been NFC West division champions for 12 of the previous 13 seasons). The Rams lost their last 17 meetings with the 49ers, but Warner proceeded to throw a touchdown pass on each of the Rams' first three possessions of the game, and four touchdowns in the first half alone, to propel the Rams to a 28–10 halftime lead on the way to a 42–20 victory. Warner finished the game with five touchdown passes, giving him 14 in four games and the Rams a 4–0 record. Warner's breakout season from a career in anonymity was so unexpected that Sports Illustrated featured him on their October 18 cover with the caption "Who Is This Guy?" He was named the 1999 NFL MVP at the season's end for leading the Rams to their first playoff berth since 1989 (when they were still in Los Angeles) and their first division title since 1985.

In the playoffs, Warner and the Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings 49–37 in the Divisional Round and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11–6 in the NFC Championship Game before ultimately winning Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans 23–16. In the game, he threw for two touchdowns and a then Super Bowl-record 414 passing yards, including a 73-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce when the game was tied with just over two minutes to play, which proved to be the game-winning score. Warner also set a Super Bowl record by attempting 45 passes without a single interception. For his performance, Warner was awarded the Super Bowl MVP award. Warner was the last player to win both the NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same year until Patrick Mahomes did so in Super Bowl LVII in the 2022 NFL season.

On July 21, Warner signed a seven-year contract worth $47 million. He started the 2000 season where he had left off in his record-setting 1999 season, racking up 300 or more passing yards in each of his first six games (tying Steve Young's record) and posting 19 touchdown passes in that stretch. Warner broke his hand and missed the middle of the season, but Trent Green filled in ably and the Warner/Green duo led the Rams to the highest team passing yard total in NFL history, with 5,232 net yards. Warner and Green's combined gross passing yards total was 5,492. In contrast to his previous season, however, Warner's turnover rate drastically increased in 2000, as he threw an interception in 5.2% of his attempts (compared to just 2.6% in 1999). Despite one of the most productive offensive years by an NFL team, the Rams won only ten games and lost in the wild card round to the New Orleans Saints 31–28. In response to the disappointing season, the Rams cut nine of their eleven defensive starters during the offseason, and Trent Green was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Warner returned to MVP form in 2001. Although his performance lagged behind his 1999 performance, he amassed a league-high 36 touchdown passes and 4,830 passing yards, and another league high mark in passer rating (101.4). Warner's tendency for turnovers carried over from 2000, as he tossed a career-high 22 interceptions (despite completing a career-high 68.7% of his passes), but he still led "The Greatest Show on Turf" to its third consecutive 6–0 start (becoming the first NFL team to do so, later equaled by the 2005–2007 Indianapolis Colts), an NFL-best 14–2 record, and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI. Warner was also named the NFL MVP for the second time in three seasons, giving the Rams their third winner in as many years (running back Marshall Faulk won in 2000).

In Super Bowl XXXVI, Warner threw for 365 yards (then the second-highest, now the sixth-highest total in Super Bowl history) and a passing touchdown along with a rushing touchdown, but his rhythm was disrupted by New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's defensive game plan and he tossed two costly interceptions which helped stake the heavy-underdog Patriots to a two-touchdown lead. After falling behind to the Patriots 17–3, though, the Rams rallied to tie the game late in the fourth quarter on a one-yard Warner quarterback sneak touchdown run and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Warner to Ricky Proehl. The game ended in a 20–17 loss for Warner and the Rams when Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired, giving the Patriots the first of three Super Bowl wins in four years.

Warner began the 2002 season as the Rams' starter, but he played poorly, throwing seven interceptions against only one touchdown as the team went 0–3. In the Rams' week 4 game against the Dallas Cowboys, Warner broke a finger on his throwing hand. Warner attempted to come back later in the season, but his injury allowed him to play only two more games (both losses). In contrast to his 103.0 career passer rating entering the season, Warner posted a minuscule 67.4 rating in 2002.

The following season, Warner was replaced as the Rams' starting quarterback for good after fumbling six times in the team's opening-day game against the New York Giants. Warner later revealed that he had previously broken his hand and that it had not fully healed, making it more difficult to grip the football. His successor as the Rams' starting quarterback, Marc Bulger (another relatively unheralded quarterback coming out of college), stepped into the breach and played reasonably well upon replacing Warner.

The Rams signed veteran Chris Chandler as Bulger's backup. The Rams released Warner on June 1, 2004, with three years left on his contract.

Two days after his release from the Rams, he signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the New York Giants, with a second year player option worth $6 million. Warner started the 2004 season as the Giants' starting quarterback, winning five of his first seven games, but following a two-game losing streak, highly touted rookie quarterback Eli Manning was given the starting job in a decision made by Tom Coughlin not based on Warner's play. The Giants had a 5–4 win–loss record at the time of Warner's benching. Warner made a spot appearance at the end of a Giants blowout loss against the Baltimore Ravens, and it was Warner who advised Coughlin to go to the media and say that Manning was still the starter for the team. It was the last appearance for Warner as a Giant. Ultimately, New York finished at 6–10 (going only 1–6 under Manning). Following the season, Warner chose to void the second year of his contract, and thus became a free agent.

In early 2005, Warner signed a one-year, $4-million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and was quickly named the starter by coach Dennis Green. Warner posted three relatively mediocre performances before injuring his groin and being replaced by former starter Josh McCown. McCown performed well enough in the two games Warner missed that McCown remained the starter.

After McCown struggled in two straight games, Green re-inserted Warner into the starting line-up. After playing fairly well in two consecutive losses (passing for a total of nearly 700 yards), Warner defeated his former team, the St. Louis Rams, by a score of 38–28. He passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns while posting a quarterback rating of 115.9. Warner's season ended in week 15 when he partially tore his MCL.

Warner signed a new three-year extension with the Cardinals on February 14, 2006. The deal had a base salary of $18 million and, with performance incentives, could have been worth as much as $24 million.

In week 1 of the 2006 NFL season, Warner won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the San Francisco 49ers. Two weeks later, Warner passed the 20,000-yard passing milestone in his 76th game, the second-quickest of any player in NFL history (Warner accomplished the feat in one game more than it took record-holder Dan Marino).

After three subpar games in Weeks 2–4, Warner was replaced as quarterback by rookie Matt Leinart in the fourth quarter of week 4. Head coach Dennis Green stated that Warner would be the backup quarterback for the remainder of the season. In week 16, Leinart went down with a shoulder injury against the 49ers, forcing Warner to see his first action since week 4. Warner filled in nicely, as he was able to hang on for the Cardinals win. In week 17 against the San Diego Chargers, Warner started again in place of the injured Leinart, throwing for 365 yards (which led the NFL for that week) and a touchdown, though the Chargers were able to hold on for a 27–20 win.

Leinart was given the starting quarterback job at the start of the 2007 season. However, in the third game of the season, against the Baltimore Ravens, Warner came off the bench to relieve an ineffective Leinart during the 4th quarter with the Ravens leading 23–6 at the beginning of the quarter. Warner led a furious comeback, as he completed 15 of 20 passes for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns. This brought Arizona to a tie game (23–23), though Arizona would go on to lose the game 26–23 after Baltimore kicked a last-second field goal.

On September 30, 2007, during the week four game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Warner relieved Leinart again, following another ineffective start. Warner finished with 14 completed of 21 attempts for 132 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions, while Leinart re-entered the game in the 4th quarter and led the Cardinals to their final touchdown. After Leinart was placed on injured reserve, Warner was named starter for the remainder of the 2007 season.

Warner passed for a career-high 484 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in a 37–31 loss on November 25, but had a fumble in the end zone in overtime that was recovered by Tully Banta-Cain, and the Cardinals lost. However, the following week Warner improved; and the Cardinals earned a victory over the Cleveland Browns that brought the Cardinals to 6–6 and kept them in the chase for the NFC Wild Card playoff spot. Warner finished the 2007 season with 27 passing touchdowns, just one shy of the Cardinals franchise record.

Leinart was named the Cardinals' starting quarterback going into the 2008 off-season, but Ken Whisenhunt stated that it would be very possible for Warner to be the starter before week one of the regular season. Indeed, Warner was named the starter on August 30, 2008. That season, Warner had 4,583 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 67.1%. He was the top ranked passer in the National Football Conference for the third time, and only trailed Philip Rivers and Chad Pennington of the AFC in NFL passer rating for the season. Warner also received FedEx Air Player of the Week honors for his performance during weeks 9 and 11 of the season. He had his struggles during the season, as in week 3 of the season versus the New York Jets, his team turned the ball over 7 times. This included an interception for a touchdown, and two interceptions resulting in a touchdown and a field goal in just the second quarter. Warner still managed to get his team to score 35 points in a 56–35 loss.

On December 7, 2008, Warner led the Cardinals to a 34–10 win over his former team, the St. Louis Rams, securing for the Cardinals the NFC West Division title and their first playoff berth since 1998. It was the Cardinals' first division title since 1975 (when they were in St. Louis) and third of the post-merger era. As a result, the Cardinals earned a home playoff game, only their second ever, and their first in Arizona. (Despite winning division titles in the 1974 and 1975 seasons in St. Louis, the Cardinals played on the road in the playoffs as a result of the playoff structure in those days.) On December 16, 2008, Warner was named the starting quarterback for the NFC team in the 2009 Pro Bowl.

On January 3, 2009, Warner led the Cardinals in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons 30–24 at home in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. During the game Warner went 19 for 32 passing, a completion percentage of 59.4%, for 271 yards. He threw two touchdowns and one interception.

On January 10, Warner helped the Cardinals defeat the Carolina Panthers 33–13 in Charlotte, North Carolina in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. During the game Warner went 21 for 32 passing, for 220 yards, a completion percentage of 65.6%, with two touchdowns and one interception. This win was the first time the Cardinals had won a game on the East Coast the entire 2008 season, after having lost away games to the Panthers, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and the New England Patriots.

On January 18, Warner threw for 279 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship to lead the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in history. Warner became the second quarterback to start a Super Bowl with multiple teams and first since Craig Morton (Warner has since been joined by Peyton Manning and Tom Brady).

In Warner's third career Super Bowl appearance on February 1, the Cardinals lost Super Bowl XLIII 27–23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving him with a career 1–2 record in Super Bowls. Despite losing, Warner still managed to throw for 377 yards (the fourth-highest total in Super Bowl history as of 2023). He completed 72.1% of his passes, and had a quarterback rating of 112.3. Warner had thus recorded the three highest single-game passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history up to that point, and joined Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, John Elway, Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks to throw a touchdown pass in three Super Bowls. Warner took his team to the Super Bowl every year that he played as the starting quarterback during all regular and post season games.

Warner announced his desire to return to the Cardinals for the 2009 season. The Cardinals offered him a two-year contract worth around $20 million but Warner was looking for a contract that would pay him about $14 million a year and the two sides could not come to an agreement. On February 27, 2009, Warner became a free agent and went on to have talks with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers offered Warner a contract worth more than that offered by the Cardinals. On March 4, Warner re-signed with the Cardinals to a two-year deal worth $23 million total, $4 million for each of the next two years, with a $15 million signing bonus, and $19 million guaranteed. Warner underwent arthroscopic hip surgery to repair a torn labrum on March 17, 2009. On September 20, 2009, Warner broke the NFL's single-game record for completion percentage in the regular season, completing 24 of 26 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns in a 31–17 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Warner's 92.3% completion rate broke the previous NFL record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1993.

On November 1, 2009, Warner threw a career-high-equaling five interceptions during a loss to the Carolina Panthers. During the same game Warner became the first quarterback in the NFL to throw for over 14,000 yards with two teams. On November 8, Warner equaled his career-high of five touchdown passes in a single game during a 41–21 victory over the Chicago Bears. This performance led to Warner being named both the NFC Offensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week. On November 15, 2009, Warner reached a career milestone with his 200th touchdown pass during a 31–20 win against the Seattle Seahawks.

On November 22, 2009, during a 21–13 victory over the St. Louis Rams, Warner left the game after suffering a concussion. Warner continued to suffer from post-concussion symptoms and on November 29, 2009, he was deactivated against the Tennessee Titans, breaking his consecutive starts streak at 41 games. On December 6, 2009, Warner returned to action as the Cardinals defeated the Minnesota Vikings 30–17. Warner registered his fourth consecutive game with a passer rating of 120 or better, making him only the second quarterback in NFL history to accomplish the feat. After his three-touchdown performance, Warner was named both the NFC Offensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week.

On December 27, 2009, Warner became only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw 100 touchdown passes with two teams (Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton is the other), in the Cardinals' 31–10 win over the St. Louis Rams.

On January 10, 2010, Warner threw five touchdowns and completed 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards in a 51–45 victory over the Green Bay Packers. The game had the highest combined total score in NFL playoff history. Warner became one of the very few quarterbacks in NFL history to throw more touchdowns (5) than incompletions (4) in a playoff game. Warner finished the game with the second highest quarterback rating in NFL playoff history with a rating of 154.1. He also became the second quarterback to throw for five touchdown passes in a playoff game twice, and the first to do so since the merger of the leagues. He is also the oldest player to have thrown that many touchdown passes in a playoff game (38 years, 202 days). Warner also tied the NFL record for consecutive playoff games with at least three touchdown passes (three games). Since the playoff game was his last at home in the playoffs during his career, he finished a perfect 7–0 in home contests (4–0 with St. Louis; 3–0 with Arizona).

On January 16, Warner was injured in the first half trying to tackle the ball carrier after an interception on the way to a 45–14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional Round. He returned for the second half, but yielded to understudy Matt Leinart midway through the fourth quarter. In 2012, the NFL discovered the Saints had placed a bounty on Warner. Warner never accused the Saints of making an illegal hit or ending his career, saying "It was a violent hit, no question. But I also believe it was a legal hit."

Warner officially announced his retirement from the NFL in January 2010. He said he was looking forward to finally being a true father to his seven kids, and that he wanted to spend time with his wife. He spoke on the impact and influence of his family, former teammates, and God. He became eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame following the 2014 season. In December 2014, Warner admitted he briefly considered coming out of retirement and returning to the Cardinals following the team losing Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton due to injuries.

Warner became an Iowa Barnstormers broadcaster for the 2011 Arena Football League season. In May 2010, he was inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Iowa Barnstormers Hall of Fame.

Warner was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Warner was selected for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2017. He was inducted on August 5, 2017, alongside Morten Andersen, Terrell Davis, Kenny Easley, Jerry Jones, Jason Taylor, and LaDainian Tomlinson. Warner is the only person inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Arena Football Hall of Fame.

From 2015 to 2018, Warner was a coach at Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. Notably, Kedon Slovis played under Warner before being recruited by the USC Trojans for the 2019 college football season.

Since 2019, Warner has been the quarterbacks coach at Brophy College Preparatory.

In 2010, Warner joined NFL Network as an analyst. He can be seen regularly on NFL Total Access, as well as in-studio on NFL Network's Thursday Night Football pregame show, Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears. Warner also served as an analyst for the NFL Network's coverage of the 2010 Arena Football League playoffs. Warner tested positive for COVID-19 in January 2021, and was unable to serve on the studio panel for NFL GameDay Morning for the wild card playoff round.

In August 2010, Fox Sports announced that Warner would be serving as a color analyst on the network's NFL coverage in the 2010 season. He teamed with play-by-play announcers Chris Rose or Chris Myers to call regional games.

In 2014, Westwood One radio hired Warner as a substitute analyst on Monday Night Football games when regular analyst Boomer Esiason is unavailable. In 2018, Warner became the full-time radio analyst.

Sources

Hille, Bob (December 19, 2023). "History of The Sporting News' Athlete of the Year awards: Full list of past winners, 1968-2023". Sporting News. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "NFL Passing Touchdowns Single-Season Playoffs Leaders". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 12, 2025.

 "NFL Passing Yards per Game Career Playoffs Leaders". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 29, 2026.

 Needell, Paul (November 12, 2008). "Cardinals QB Warner's resurgence came without warning". NJ.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Brandt, Gil (March 17, 2010). "Warner tops list of best undrafted players of all time". NFL.com. Retrieved March 17, 2010.

 "'It's been an amazing ride': Warner retires after 12 NFL seasons". NFL.com. Associated Press. January 31, 2010. Archived from the original on March 12, 2010. Retrieved March 17, 2010.

 Kerr, Jeff (April 23, 2024). "NFL Draft: Kurt Warner, John Randle highlight top 10 undrafted free agents in common-draft era". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 23, 2025.

 "AP NFL Most Valuable Player Winners". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2019.

 Layman, Matt (May 10, 2020). "Kurt Warner sees underdog story, but always 'expected to be successful'". Arizona Sports. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Talbott, Chris (December 21, 2021). "Kurt Warner talks about the movie based on his life, and whether he retired from football too soon". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Abdeldaiem, Alaa (January 20, 2019). "Tom Brady's Super Bowl history, record". SI.com. Retrieved September 13, 2019.

 "Kurt Warner Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Schwartz, Brett (February 4, 2009). "Arizona QB Kurt Warner: A true sports hero". The Johns Hopkins News-Letter. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Emmert, Mark (August 4, 2017). "Tracing Iowan Kurt Warner's unlikely journey to Pro Football Hall of Fame". HawkCentral. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner". inside UNI. March 20, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "Honors" (PDF). Missouri Valley Football Conference. Retrieved September 10, 2021.

 "Kurt Warner Scouting Report" (PDF). Dan Shonka. November 11, 1993. Retrieved February 25, 2026.

 Mahoney, Joe (March 4, 2022). "Quarterback hand size, fumbles and rushing attempts". Mile High Report. SB Nation. Retrieved February 25, 2026.

 Kendle, John (December 19, 2021). "American Underdog Kurt Warner never gave up pursuit of gridiron glory". Canton Repository. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "Former NFL Coach Steve Mariucci Tells a Hilarious Andy Reid Story". Kansas City Chiefs. February 3, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Mikkelson, Barbara (January 30, 2009). "Kurt Reply". Snopes.com. Retrieved January 30, 2010.

 Omaha Productions (October 16, 2025). Peyton Manning Meets the Grocery Clerk Who Became a Hall of Famer. Retrieved October 18, 2025 – via YouTube.

 Kurt and Brenda Warner: Putting First Things First, 700 Club video interview

 "'Touchdown' Eddie Brown tops Arena top 20 list". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 19, 2006. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Crumpton, Tony (February 6, 2021). "Hall of Famer Kurt Warner tells how a bug bite kept him from joining Bears". ChicagoBearsHQ.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.

 "Rams begin retooling their roster". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 25, 1997. pp. D8. Retrieved December 4, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.

 "Kurt Warner". foxsports.com. Retrieved December 4, 2017.

 Witosky, Tom (March 1, 1998). "Warner embarks on second chance to play in NFL". The Des Moines Register. pp. 4D. Retrieved December 4, 2017.

 "Football". The Courier-News. February 18, 1998. pp. C4. Retrieved December 4, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.

 "1998 NFLE Passing Statistics – The Football Database". Footballdb.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2011.

 "Kurt Warner 1998 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "1999 Cleveland Expansion Draft". www.jt-sw.com.

 Warner, Kurt; Silver, Michael (2000). All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football, and the First Miracle Season. New York: HarperOne. p. 87 to 95. ISBN 978-0-06-251718-0.

 "RAMS SEVER TIES WITH BANKS, DEAL QB TO RAVENS". Chicago Tribune. April 18, 1999. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Katzowitz, Josh (September 12, 2014). "Remember When: Kurt Warner led Rams to title after Trent Green injury". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Gonzalez, Alden (February 5, 2017). "QB Kurt Warner came out of nowhere to make Hall of Fame". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.

 "Most Popular". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on August 21, 2009.

 "Warner an Easy MVP Winner". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 6, 2000. Retrieved September 14, 2024.

 "Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Winners". Pro Football Reference.

 "Players to win league MVP, Super Bowl MVP in the same season". ESPN.com. February 6, 2026. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Warner pockets $11.5 million bonus". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.

 "Milestones - Pro Football Hall of Fame". Pro Football Hall of Fame. November 8, 2005. Archived from the original on October 9, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "2000 St. Louis Rams Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Rams Trade Green to Chiefs". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 21, 2001. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner 2001 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "2001 NFL Passing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "2001 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Most dynamic: 2001 St. Louis Rams". ESPN.com. June 24, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Wilner, Barry (January 10, 2002). "Rams' Warner wins MVP". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 Van Natta Jr. and, Don; Wickersham, Seth (September 8, 2015). "Spygate to Deflategate: Inside what split the NFL and Patriots apart". ESPN.com.

 "Super Bowl XXXVI - St. Louis Rams vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2002". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "N.F.L.: ROUNDUP; Warner Out Again With Broken Hand". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 3, 2002. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Maske, Mark (April 11, 2004). "Warner's career on the decline". Chicago Tribune. Washington Post. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Warner released by St. Louis". Deseret News. Associated Press. June 2, 2004. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "QB signs deal, partakes in first practices". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 3, 2004. Retrieved March 27, 2018.

 Myers, Gary (August 22, 2019). "The Athletic Q&A: Kurt Warner on his Giants tenure, Eli's succession plan and more". The Athletic. Retrieved January 13, 2025.

 "2004 New York Giants Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Warner plans to leave the Giants after this season". Lewiston Sun Journal. December 30, 2004. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Pasquarelli, Len (December 19, 2005). "Warner's season over after suffering MCL injury". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.

 "Warner signs 3-year, $18M deal with Cardinals". ESPN. February 15, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2012.

 "2006 NFL Week 1 Leaders & Scores". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner 2006 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Arizona Cardinals at Baltimore Ravens - September 23rd, 2007". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2025.

 "Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals - September 30th, 2007". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2025.

 "Leinart out for the season; Cards sign Rattay as backup to Warner". NFL.com. Associated Press. October 9, 2007. Archived from the original on May 4, 2008.

 "San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals - November 25th, 2007". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2025.

 "Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals - December 2nd, 2007". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2025.

 "Arizona Cardinals Single-Season Passing Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "In midst of MVP-type season, Warner is name for Fame". Sportsline.com. November 13, 2008. Retrieved October 12, 2011.

 "Arizona Cardinals at New York Jets - September 28th, 2008". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals - December 7th, 2008". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "2009 Pro Bowl rosters". NFL.com.

 "Wild Card - Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals - January 3rd, 2009". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Divisional Round - Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers - January 10th, 2009". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "2008 Arizona Cardinals Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "NFC Championship - Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals - January 18th, 2009". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Williams, Charean (January 24, 2021). "Tom Brady will become fourth QB to start Super Bowls for two teams". NBC Sports. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Super Bowl XLIII - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals - February 1st, 2009". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Bandini, Nicky (January 29, 2009). "Kurt Warner stands on the threshold of greatness". Guardian. London. Retrieved September 29, 2009.

 "49ers work on signing Warner". The Augusta Chronicle. March 3, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Clayton, John (March 4, 2009). "$19 million of Warner's deal guaranteed". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 4, 2009.

 "Warner has surgery on left hip". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 18, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Smits, Gary (September 21, 2009). "Cardinals' Warner sits on completion percentage record". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved September 8, 2023.

 "Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals – November 1st, 2009". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears – November 8th, 2009". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Urban, Darren (November 10, 2009). "Warner Wins Player of Week Award". azcardinals.com. Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2009.

 "Warner, Turner FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week". NFL.com. November 13, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2009.

 "Milestones: Warner bags 200th TD pass". The Denver Post. November 16, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2009.

 Cannon, John (November 30, 2009). "Kurt Warner to see Specialist for Post-Concussion Symptoms". nflfootballpicks.org. Archived from the original on July 14, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2009.

 "Cardinals' Leinart starts at QB". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 29, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Warner's hip better; no concussion issues". azcentral.com. December 7, 2009. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2009.

 Urban, Darren (December 8, 2009). "Warner Wins POW Again". azcardinals.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.

 "Warner, Buckhalter voted FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week". NFL.com. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2009.

 "Kurt Warner, Cardinals rout Rams for historic 10th win". USA Today. Associated PRess. December 28, 2009. Archived from the original on December 31, 2009.

 "Wild Card – Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals – January 10th, 2010". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Green Bay Packers lose to Arizona Cardinals 51–45 in NFC playoff game". Green Bay Press Gazette. January 10, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2010.

 "Strangely, defense seals Cards' OT win over Packers". NFL.com. January 10, 2010. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2010.

 "Kurt Warner Playoffs Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Divisional Round – Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints – January 16th, 2010". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 "Warner hurt in 2nd quarter against Saints, returns". San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press. January 16, 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

 Schefter, Adam (March 2, 2012). "NFL: Saints' defense had 'bounty' fund". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Retrieved September 21, 2024.

 "Kurt Warner not surprised by Saints' bounty system". Sporting News. March 2, 2012. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2014.

 "Warner, 2-time MVP, hangs up jersey". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 29, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2026.

 Florio, Mike (December 14, 2014). "Kurt Warner admits he considered returning to Cardinals". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "NFL Game Center". Nfl.com. Retrieved October 12, 2011.

 Edholm, Eric (February 6, 2017). "Tom Brady wins Super Bowl MVP, Roger Goodell faces deafening boos from Patriots fans". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 7, 2017.

 Needell, Paul (November 12, 2008). "Cardinals QB Warner's resurgence came without warning". NJ.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Player Game Finder Query Results : In a single season, from 1960 to 2011, in the Regular Season, from team's 1st game to 5th game, sorted by descending Passing Yds". Pro-Football-Reference.

 "Player Game Finder Query Results : In a single season, from 1960 to 2011, in the Regular Season, from team's 1st game to 6th game, sorted by descending Passing Yds". Pro-Football-Reference.

 "Warner's storybook career deserves Hall of Fame consideration". NFL.com. January 29, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Player Game Finder Query Results", Pro-Football-Reference.com

 "NFL Passes Completed Single Game Leaders". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2019.

 "Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals Single-Season Passing Leaders". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2019.

 "Kurt Warner Inducted into Barnstormers (AFL) Hall of Fame". All Sports talk. May 22, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2012.

 Thomas, Jim (September 26, 2014). "Warner to be inducted into St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame". STLToday.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Weinfuss, Josh (April 8, 2015). "Kurt Warner returns to football – as a high school coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Obert, Richard (May 16, 2018). "Desert Mountain QB Kedon Slovis' recruiting taking off with Kurt Warner's help". The Arizona Republic. Gannett. Retrieved February 3, 2020.

 Obert, Richard (June 19, 2020). "Arizona high school coaches concerned about season amid spike". The Arizona Republic. Gannett. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 McClune, Mark. "Friday nights are family nights for new Brophy HS Coach Jason Jewell". azfamily.com.

 Werner, Barry (July 29, 2020). "34 NFL players who became high school football coaches". List Wire. USA Today. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner – NFL Network: On Air Talent". NFL.com. Retrieved September 11, 2017.

 Williams, Charean (January 8, 2021). "Kurt Warner announces he has COVID-19". NBCSports.com. Retrieved March 6, 2021.

 "Warner, Mora Jr. & Pereira are the new faces of the NFL on FOX in 2010". Sports Media News. August 16, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2010.

 Fang, Ken (September 2, 2014). "Westwood One Radio Adds Kurt Warner to its NFL On-Air Staff". AwfulAnnouncing.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Bucholtz, Andrew (August 6, 2018). "Kurt Warner set to replace Boomer Esiason on Westwood One's Monday Night Football radio package". Awful Announcing. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner Biography". Black Book Partners, LLC. 2009. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2013.

 "Kurt Warner". NFL.com. Retrieved October 24, 2019.

 Roy Asfar (January 22, 2009). "Kurt Warner Thanks His Marine Corps Veteran Wife". VeteransAdvantage.com. Retrieved July 31, 2013.

 "Kurt Warner and Brenda Carney Meoni Wedding". Celebrity Bride Guide. January 30, 2009. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.

 Bennett, Dashiell (January 28, 2009). "The Ballad Of Brenda And Kurtis The Stock Boy". Deadspin.com. Retrieved October 12, 2011.

 Backus, Will (August 11, 2025). "Fresno State quarterback E.J. Warner, son of NFL MVP Kurt Warner, named starter for Bulldogs, per report". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Florio, Mike (April 30, 2023). "Kurt Warner's son, Kade, signs with Buccaneers as undrafted free agent". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Warner, Kurt & Silver, Michael, (2000). All Things Possible. San Francisco: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-251717-1 (cloth) ISBN 0-06-251718-X (paper back)

 "2008–09 NFC Championship Game postgame interview". YouTube.com. January 19, 2009. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2011.

 Tiansay, Eric. NFL Star Quarterback Kurt Warner Says He is a 'No-Label' Christian Archived March 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Charisma, October 31, 2001.

 "Kurt Warner Inspires "Biggest Loser" Contestants". NBC Washington. Retrieved January 31, 2010.

 "Suite Life on Deck". TV Guide. Retrieved January 17, 2010.

 Bauder, David (February 10, 2010). "Jay Leno ends his NBC prime-time experiment". TODAY.com. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner Eliminated from DWTS". CBS News. November 9, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 Rose, Lacey (January 25, 2012). "USA Network Enters Reality With 9 Episode Order for 'The Moment' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 25, 2012.

 "Good Sports Gang: Elliot the Invincible | Dove Family Friendly Movie Reviews". The Dove Foundation. Retrieved November 20, 2017.

 Warner, Kurt (April 29, 2003). "Good Sports Gang, Episode 1: Elliot The Invincible". Good Times Video. Retrieved November 20, 2017.

 Ramos, Dino-Ray (February 4, 2020). "Erwin Brothers To Direct Kurt Warner Biopic, 'Friday Night Lights' Scribe David Aaron Cohen To Write". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

 Parlevliet, Mirko (February 4, 2020). "Erwin Brothers to Direct American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story". Vital Thrills. Retrieved February 4, 2020.[permanent dead link]

 "Nutrilite Brand Signs Kurt Warner" Archived December 7, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Amway North America

 "Amway Press Room". Amway North America. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.

 Bajaj, Vikas; Belson, Ken (December 4, 2012), Pro Football Makes a Play for India, ISSN 0362-4331, retrieved April 1, 2026

 "American football coming to India?". DAWN.COM. Associated Press. August 6, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2024.

 Daniel, Kaplan (January 25, 2012). "Kurt Warner, Mark Wahlberg investing in new Indian football league". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved January 29, 2012.

 Stapleton, Susan (July 12, 2023). "Iowa State Fair to feature Caitlin Clark, Kurt Warner, and Jack Trice as butter cow companions". Des Moines Register. Retrieved September 26, 2023.

 "Civitan International – Kurt Warner PSAs". Civitan.org. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009.

 "Projects". KurtWarner.org. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.

 "Cardinals QB Warner picked as Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year". NFL.com. February 1, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2026.

 "Kurt Warner to Receive Muhammad Ali Sports Leadership Award". East Valley Living. January 12, 2009. Archived from the original on December 9, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2009.

 Swartz, Bryn (January 29, 2010). "Why Kurt Warner is America's Perfect Role Model". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

 "Warner named best role model by NFL players". AZCentral.com. December 1, 2009. Archived from the original on December 3, 2009. Retrieved December 23, 2009.

 Pitcher, Tim (February 6, 2010). "Kurt Warner Honored as 2010 Bart Starr Award Winner at the 23rd Annual Super Bowl Breakfast". athletesinaction.org. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2010.

 Farmer, Jenna (February 7, 2010). "Kurt Warner's help in community recognized by the NFL". The Miami Herald. Retrieved February 8, 2010.

Warner, Kurt & Silver, Michael, (2000). All Things Possible. San Francisco: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-251717-1 (cloth) ISBN 0-06-251718-X (paper back).

Warner, Kurt & Brenda, (2009). First Things First. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc. ISBN 1-4143-3406-0 (Hardcover)