Relevant career stats
- 125 games played, 101 starts at at QB. 57-44 regular-season record (9-3 playoffs, including this season).
- 2,666 pass completions, 4,070 attempts (65.5 percent). 32,344 yards, 208 TDs, 128 INTs.
- 258.8 yards per game (2nd all time, behind Peyton Manning)
- 93.7 rating (High of 109.2 in 1999 with St. Louis. Low of 67.4 in 2002 with St. Louis, 6th all-time).
- 12.1 yards per pass completion
- 102 fumbles lost (Including a massive 12 in 2004 in St. Louis and again in 2007 with Arizona)
- 9 fourth quarter comebacks, 14 game-winning drives
Relevent career accolades/awards/achievements
- One Super Bowl ring (XXXIV, with Rams, win over Titans). Also won MVP award of SB XXXIV.
- Three Super Bowl appearances (XXXIV, XXXVI-with Rams, loss to Patriots, XXXLI-with Cardinals, loss to Steelers)
- In the three Super Bowl appearances, has a QB rating of 95.9, with 1,156 yards passing, 6 TDs and 3 INTS.
- Two-time NFL MVP (1999, 2001, both with St. Louis)
- Four-time Pro Bowler (1999, 2000, 2001 and 2008), Two-time First Team All-Pro (1999, 2001)
Reasons for him to get in to the HOF
Aren't those stats and accolades listed above enough? Each one of those listed is pretty much enough to get in. His 32,344 career yards seem like a ton, but when you look at Brett Favre's 69,329 yards, you realize that Warner hasn't been playing for that long, just 11 years in the league. Favre has 16. Dan Marino, second on that list, played forf 17 seasons. So aside from the ridiculous numbers, you also have Warner's success in the playoffs, taking the Rams to the Super Bowl twice, winning once and losing to the Patriots in the other, which was the start of New England's dynasty. And the Rams had chances to win that game and may have, if not for Ricky Proehl's dropped TD pass late in the game. Warner revived the St. Louis franchise, just as he did with the Cardinals last season, taking them to the Super Bowl and losing a close game to the Steelers. And this season, the Cardinals are two games away from making another Super Bowl appearance.
Did you see what Warner did on Sunday, the highest scoring playoff game ever? 29 of 33 for 379 yards and five TDs. Amazing. He also has the intangible factor, as he has a great "rags to riches" story. A couple years before he won the Super Bowl with the Rams in 2000, he was bagging groceries in Iowa. Literally.
Statistically, he is one of the best QBs of all-time. He is one of the best all-time winners at the QB position.
Reasons he won't make it
The years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Most of Warner's huge numbers and success have come in 1999, 2000, 2001 and then 2008 and 2009. A stretch of three amazing years and two great years. With five mediocre, at best, years in between.
That hurts. In 2002-2007, Warner slid tremendously, relegated to backup status in New York to Eli Manning and then in Arizona to Matt Leinart.
During this time, Warner had issues with fumbles, as I listed his fumble stats above.
Also, a lot of great NFL players won one Super Bowl that aren't in the Hall. One is great. But two will get you in, for sure.
Final say
Get his Hall of Fame bust ready, people in Canton. He belongs in, no doubt.
Here is story by the East Valley (Arizona) Tribune that breaks down this debate superbly, but it was written prior to last season's Super Bowl. http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/134810
Editor's note:
ReplyDeleteOn my initial posting of this item, I mistakenly said Phil Simms won one Super Bowl. He in fact won two, XXI and XXV.
Rob:
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you say about Warner. There are more than a handful of QB's in the HOF with far lesser stats. He (along with Peyton Manning and Brett Farve) should be first ballot honorees.