Next month Kurt Warner will turn 47. When Week 1 kicks off this fall it will have been nine seasons since he played in the NFL. Still, those two brief but important facts haven't prevented the Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst from at least entertaining the idea of playing quarterback in the NFL again. Warner stated as much on Monday night, when he casually mentioned that he'd talked about a comeback with both his wife and an unnamed coach during ESPN's broadcast of a St. Louis Cardinals game.
“I was actually ready to, for this coming season, I actually talked to a coach and my wife said, ‘Go for it, I think it would be great,'” said Warner. “So I actually talked to a coach about possibly doing it if they needed someone, but then they went out and signed somebody. I don’t think they thought I was serious. So I think we’re completely done now.”
This is not the first time that Warner has at least flirted with the idea of a comeback, as he previously admitted he did it back in 2014 when the Arizona Cardinals were in dire need. The fact that he mentioned in the booth that the "coach" he talked to (we want names!) didn't think Warner was serious is probably evidence that he was serious. Right? Come on now.
As it is, the entire conversation was sparked by Warner being asked if he missed playing.
"Oh my gosh, come on!” Warner said in response. “Anytime you play at this level and you step away from it, especially when you stay connected to it — I think that’s the hard part, is analyzing it and covering the games and doing that kind of stuff, anytime you’re around it … and especially since I feel really, really good. So I’m like ‘I think I could still play. I think I could still throw it.'"
Though I'd personally like to see it, Warner did pour some water on the thought of his own return, adding: " I don’t know if I would ever really do it, because it’s easy to sit up here and go, ‘I feel great, I can throw it in my backyard, I could still play in the NFL.' I have too much respect for the game and those guys. But there have been moments where I was like, I feel so good and I look at the state of the quarterbacks sometimes in the league and say, I think I could do it better than them if I could get back up to form and spend some time. I’m just hoping that one team, at some point, gives me another 7-on-7. Just give me 20 plays and let me see if I can still do it."
It's the NFL, man. Like 20 starting quarterbacks get hurt every year. Don't throw in the towel on this season just yet!
