Is Kurt Warner going to retire?

[D Mac]

Since no one will answer me in the NFL thread.

[CSL]

No

[D Mac]

OK thanks. :p

[RatedGSuperstar]

There's a chance he won't be coming back to Arizona, though.

[Triple Naitch]

I think he'll spend one year in Chicago or Minnesota, underachieve and then retire.

[MVP]

Who wants to bet Warner is on the next cover of Madden?

[DaveWadding]

There's a chance he won't be coming back to Arizona, though.

I think he'll spend one year in Chicago or Minnesota, underachieve and then retire.

Analysis: Warner likely to return to Cards
68 commentsby Bob McManaman - Feb. 3, 2009 07:27 PM
The Arizona Republic

It was the most-watched television program in U.S. history. And now, three days after stellar Super Bowl XLIII left us all comfortably numb, one of the most sought-after question in the NFL is, "Does Kurt Warner return to the Cardinals next season or does he retire?"

The answer is . . .

Yes!

Warner said Tuesday when he and the Cardinals cleaned out their lockers at their Tempe training facility and said their goodbyes that he will let everyone know his answer shortly.

But after everything that's been said, everything that's been intimated publicly and privately by everyone involved, the general perception in and around the Cardinals' organization seems crystal clear.

He will be back. And he likely will sign a new, two-year contract extension - possibly in the neighborhood of $18-20 million - to try and lead this once-woebegone franchise right back into glorious history.

Give it two weeks, three weeks tops.

That was the word circulating through the Warner camp before and following the Cardinals' 27-23 loss to the Steelers in Tampa. And unless management completely drops the ball and short-changes the quarterback at the negotiating table, it's appears to be a done deal.

Still, Warner would make no such public assumptions. He did say on Tuesday he wants to finish his career with the Cardinals.

"That's my mindset," he said. "If I'm going to keep playing, I don't want to change teams."

Warner, who set a Super Bowl record for most career passing yards in the game with 1,156 and is the only quarterback to have thrown for 300 yards in three appearances, doesn't want to leave just yet.

But there are other factors involved here, such as family. He has a wife and seven children. He's away from home a lot. Eventually, that breaks a man down, even a man like Warner.

Had he won Super Bowl XLIII, it might have been much easier to walk away. But now?

"You know, I couldn't tell you if I'd be surprised or not," Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "There was a lot of talk about that after the Jets game earlier this season, so it's been out there. . . . But he's going to do it the right way, and I respect that."

Both Warner and Whisenhunt said they planned to talk before Warner sits down with his family. But with all due respect to impending free-agent linebacker Karlos Dansby, the Cardinals have to deal with Warner before they deal with anyone else.

"Without Kurt, we're not in that game on Sunday," said defensive end Bertrand Berry, whose contract is also set to expire. "We definitely want him back. We need him back."

He'll be back. Count on it.

The Republic took an informal, off-the-record poll while the Cardinals cleaned out their lockers on Tuesday and of the dozens of players interviewed, none expected Warner to retire or sign elsewhere.

"I'd love to make a decision right now," Warner said. "But I've got to take some time."

Whisenhunt has formed a special bond with Warner this season and as much as he thinks he knows his quarterback, he won't predict what's going to happen.

"All I know," Whisenhunt said, "is that Kurt is very excited about this season and this football team."

Warner may have even let it slip Tuesday when someone asked him if anyone in charge of the organization reached out to him to re-sign with the Cardinals.

"Yes, I've had some people in the organization definitely express to me that they want me to be a part of what we're doing here, moving forward," Warner said.

Just as he said those words, a teammate reminded Warner that it was time to leave the locker room and head to a season-ending, team meeting in the Cardinals' auditorium, where Whisenhunt would deliver his farewell talk to the club.

"It's time to go, I'm sorry," Warner told reporters.

Then, as he meandered his way through the media horde, he winked, innocently, and said, "I'll be back."

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2009/02/03/20090203spt-cardswarner.html
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:foc:

[RatedGSuperstar]

I think it's pretty clear that they need him back, even if he can't duplicate this year's numbers...with Leinart in there, they're probably not even a playoff team. I'll still believe it when I see it, though -- the Cards have always seemed like a stingy franchise that is willing to cut corners wherever they can. Obviously that started to change with the Fitz extension, but I'm wondering if they'd be willing to do the same thing for a 38-year old QB.

I really can't blame Warner for wanting to stay, either. Who the hell wouldn't want to retire in Arizona?

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Warner's got such a good thing in Arizona, why would he want to go anywhere else? He plays in a pass obsessed offense with LARRY FITZGERALD, and he plays for the best team in a terrible division. Also LARRY FITZGERALD

[The Outlaw]

Plus. FITZ.

[DaveWadding]

Warner's got such a good thing in Arizona, why would he want to go anywhere else? He plays in a pass obsessed offense with LARRY FITZ<strike>GERALD</strike>JESUS, and he plays for the best team in a terrible division. Also LARRY FITZ<strike>GERALD</strike>JESUS

[YOUR Hero]

Brett Favre retired (again)

[The Outlaw]

Brett Favre retired (again)

You watch your tone!

[YOUR Hero]

don't you mean text?

[The Outlaw]

I imagined you talking when I read it. :o

[GregDill]

He got a chance for come back. that's good