One of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in modern NFL history, this Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback paid his dues bagging groceries at a supermarket, while playing Arena and World League football. And then, Warner finally got a serious look by head coach Dick Vermeil, a coach who was not afraid to give an unknown a major opportunity, and whom I also heard from in the Gratitude to Greats project. This opportunity knocked for Kurt Warner in 1999 when the Rams lost their starting quarterback, Trent Green, and Kurt went on to a career where he led the St. Louis Rams, who had the worst cumulative record of the 1990s, to a win in the big game, and not only brought the team to another big game, but went on to lead another then-struggling team, the Arizona Cardinals, to their only big game appearance in a late-career revival in 2008.
A born-again Christian, Warner encouraged me to keep my faith in Christ, something that is priceless, and I thank this great quarterback a myriad for taking the time to send me these words of encouragement.
My NFL 100: Gratitude to Greats Project 