ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH When Kurt Warner got mashed into the ground on a vicious but clean hit by New Orleans defensive end Bobby McCray, I automatically assumed the worst. That's it. We've just seen the end of Kurt's career. And what a horrible, depressing way for him to go. What were we supposed to think? Warner was rolling around on the turf, eyes blinking. He seemed disoriented. He was in pain. He's 38 years old. He's endured multiple injuries in his career, including five concussions. The Saints were already up by two touchdowns in the second quarter of this NFC playoff game, and would go on to win by 31. When Warner threw that interception, looked to make a tackle, and ended up blind-sided by McCray, it appeared to be the final blow. Fortunately, the immediate repercussions weren't as severe as feared. Warner was shaken up, but returned in the second half. That's good, but it still doesn't ease the big-picture fears and the concerns over Warner's long-term health and future. I hope Warner will walk away from the game. What else does he have to prove? I believe he's already done enough to warrant selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Just look at a partial list of all that he's accomplished since entering the NFL with the Rams in 1998: Two-time league MVP with the Rams; Super Bowl MVP and championship with the Rams; three-highest passing-yardage days in Super Bowl history; 52 300-yard games; the only NFL quarterback to throw 100 touchdown passes for two teams; nine postseason victories; the second-best passer rating (102.8) in NFL postseason history; and guiding two down-and-out franchises to the Super Bowl. There's nothing left for Warner to gain, but he has much to lose. Kurt and wife Brenda have seven children at home. As Warner told me in an interview earlier this year, he wants to be healthy and vibrant and immersed in their lives. Warner wants to enjoy being a grandfather some day — and without limitations brought on by football-related debilitation. Warner has given 11 years of his life to the NFL but says he wants to be sure that the best years of his life to go to his family. And it won't be easy for Warner to continue rebounding from injuries. After all, it took him a few years to recover from the hand injuries, concussions and harsh beatings he took in St. Louis before finally regenerating his career in Arizona. And Warner was younger then. He'll be 39 if he chooses to play the 2010 season. Last fall, the results of a preliminary study commissioned by the NFL indicated that former NFL players have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or similar memory-related diseases at a dramatically higher rate than the national average. This is a brutal sport. Last week, Warner told reporters that he's noticed the way defensive players seemed to be taking more swipes at his helmet. Defenders aren't stupid; Warner has a history of concussions and if you want to stop the Cardinals the best way is to knock No. 13 out of the game. So why would a vulnerable Warner continue to put himself at risk? After Saturday's loss, Warner confirmed that he's considering retirement. "I have some ideas in my head," Warner said during the postgame news conference. "But you want to get away from the season for a minute and make sure what you're feeling stays that way. But I don't think it will be a long process." As Brenda Warner told the New York Times this week, the decision is between "Kurt and God." But based on previous comments, she'd undoubtedly favor retirement. Seeing Brenda's televised reaction to the on-field violence in Saturday's game only reinforced those thoughts. Commenting to the NY Times about the concussion that her husband suffered at the Edward Jones Dome in November, Brenda said: "I would give every dime I've ever seen in my life to take that one blow to the head back. It does change your perspective." Sunday morning on the NFL Network, Marshall Faulk offered a prediction on his close friend and former teammate. "Knowing Kurt, I'm going to say that this is probably it for Kurt," Faulk said. "Kurt is a competitor. But he understands that he has a family at home. And all of the head trauma that we now have data about — about guys having concussions, having dementia, and all of the other problems when you're done playing ... "I'm pretty sure that Kurt and Brenda are weighing this. He's going to have that discussion with her, and I think this year Brenda's going to win." Warner is in position to do so many valuable, meaningful things with the rest of his life. And that could be through his ministry work, his desire to help the poor, his devotion to children, his motivational speaking or many charitable causes. One Arizona columnist recently suggested that Warner could become president of the United States if he wanted. Hey, I wouldn't rule anything out with this man. Warner is a true American original. But to fully realize all of his post-football goals, he must be healthy. And if Kurt Warner can walk from the NFL with his mind and body intact, it'll be the greatest triumph of his career. |
KW for President
Has a nice ring to it.....I'd vote for you Kurt!
