Kurt Warner, the quarterback who led the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance, will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.
The Cardinals announced today that Warner’s name will officially be added to the Ring of Honor at a ceremony during their Week One opener against the Chargers on Monday Night Football.
Warner said he has felt great loyalty to the Cardinals since they signed him in 2005, when he had started just 16 games over the previous three seasons with the Giants and Rams, throwing 10 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. Warner was generally viewed as past his prime and nothing more than a veteran backup when he arrived in Arizona, but he thrived once he became the Cardinals’ starter.
“The Cardinals gave me an opportunity at a time when not many teams were going to give me an opportunity,” Warner said. “When somebody takes a chance on you and gives you an opportunity, you want to live up to that.”
Cardinals President Michael Bidwill praised Warner for his contributions to the team and to all of Arizona.
“It’s not only about the way he performed on the field and the class that he performed on the field, but also what he’s done off the field,” Bidwill said. “He and his family live in Arizona. We’re excited about what he continues to do in the community and makes such a positive impact.”
This may not be the biggest honor Warner receives in the year ahead: He will be eligible to be elected to the 2015 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.