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Quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement Friday from the NFL after 12 seasons, a year after leading the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl and weeks after leading them to the second round of the playoffs.
"Not much on the drama part of it, as most of you know," Warner said to begin a news conference at the Cardinals' training facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Warner, 38, a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion, had added motivation for a quick retirement decision: He has multiple promotional appearance commitments during Super Bowl week in Miami.
Rather than answer retirement questions then, Warner preferred to remove the focus from his future as quickly as possible so it's not an issue next week, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
"Obviously, it's been 12 unbelievable years, some of the best years of my life," Warner said Friday. "But I want everybody to know that I'm just as excited about the next 12, that I'm excited about what lies in front of me. I'm excited about spending more time with my family, and seeing what God's going to do next."
Since the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs in a 45-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints on divisional playoff weekend, Warner has spent his days huddling over his decision with family and his agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Warner has been voted to five Pro Bowls and became the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL franchises.
In the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers, Warner didn't play like someone at the end of his career. He threw for 379 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions during Arizona's 51-45 overtime victory.
But next week in the divisional round, during an interception return, Saints defensive end Bobby McCray leveled Warner with a hit that left the quarterback with a bruised chest.
Earlier this season, Warner suffered a concussion. It was at least his third concussion, and he later estimated it was quite possibly his fifth.
Warner also had the added memory of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin taking a hit that left him with a broken jaw last season. Warner told ESPN's Rick Reilly earlier this month that he contemplated retiring after witnessing that hit.
Warner had a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract.
Source: AP
"Not much on the drama part of it, as most of you know," Warner said to begin a news conference at the Cardinals' training facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Warner, 38, a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion, had added motivation for a quick retirement decision: He has multiple promotional appearance commitments during Super Bowl week in Miami.
Rather than answer retirement questions then, Warner preferred to remove the focus from his future as quickly as possible so it's not an issue next week, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
"Obviously, it's been 12 unbelievable years, some of the best years of my life," Warner said Friday. "But I want everybody to know that I'm just as excited about the next 12, that I'm excited about what lies in front of me. I'm excited about spending more time with my family, and seeing what God's going to do next."
Since the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs in a 45-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints on divisional playoff weekend, Warner has spent his days huddling over his decision with family and his agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Warner has been voted to five Pro Bowls and became the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL franchises.
In the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers, Warner didn't play like someone at the end of his career. He threw for 379 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions during Arizona's 51-45 overtime victory.
But next week in the divisional round, during an interception return, Saints defensive end Bobby McCray leveled Warner with a hit that left the quarterback with a bruised chest.
Earlier this season, Warner suffered a concussion. It was at least his third concussion, and he later estimated it was quite possibly his fifth.
Warner also had the added memory of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin taking a hit that left him with a broken jaw last season. Warner told ESPN's Rick Reilly earlier this month that he contemplated retiring after witnessing that hit.
Warner had a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract.
Source: AP