Success and Meteoric Rise to Fame (1999 – 2001).
After releasing quarterbacks Tony Banks and Steve Bono following the 1998 season, the Rams signed free agent Trent Green, a St. Louis native and former Indiana University star, as the starting QB. Kurt was retained and promoted to primary backup QB on the second string. When Green tore his ACL in a preseason game, Kurt Warner became Rams’ starter. St. Louis head coach Dick Vermeil famously stated in a press conference, “We’ll rally around Kurt Warner and we will play good football.” At this point Vermeil had rarely seen Kurt play with the first string, but the coach’s words would prove prophetic.
In conjunction with stellar running back Marshall Faulk and outstanding wide receivers Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim and Ricky Proehl, Kurt put together one of the top seasons ever by a quarterback in NFL history, throwing for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 65.1%. The Rams’ high-powered offense was nicknamed “The Greatest Show on Turf” and registered the first in a string of three consecutive 500 point seasons, an NFL record. This “rags to riches” story of Kurt Warner and his breakout season from a career in anonymity was so spectacular and unexpected that Sports Illustrated magazine featured him on their October 18, 1999, cover with the caption “Who Is This Guy?”
Kurt was named the 1999 NFL MVP at the season’s end. In the NFL playoffs, Kurt ultimately led the Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans. In the game, he threw for two touchdowns and a Super Bowl record 414 passing yards, including a critical 73 yard touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce with the game tied and just over two minutes to play. Kurt also set a Super Bowl record by attempting 45 passes without throwing a single interception. For his performance, Kurt was awarded the Super Bowl MVP, becoming the seventh player to win both the NFL league MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards in the same year.
Under new head coach Mike Martz, Kurt continued the 2000 season where he had ended his record-setting 1999 season by racking up 300 or more passing yards in each of his first 6 games and throwing 19 touchdown passes in that stretch. Unfortunately, he then broke his hand and missed the middle of the season. Trent Green filled in capably, however, and the Kurt Warner/Trent Green duo led the Rams to the highest team passing yards total in NFL history, with 5,232 net yards. In spite of this offensive productivity, however, the Rams were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the New Orleans Saints.
Kurt quickly returned to MVP form in 2001. Although his performance lagged behind his 1999 benchmark performance, he amassed a league-high 36 touchdown passes and 4,830 passing yards, and another league high mark in passer rating at 101.4. Kurt regrettably tossed a career high 22 interceptions despite completing a career-high 68.7% of his passes. In spite of these 22 interceptions, he still led “The Greatest Show on Turf” to its third consecutive 6–0 start, an NFL-best 14–2 record, and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI. . Kurt was also named the NFL MVP for the second time in three seasons, giving the Rams their third winner in three seasons. (Running back Marshall Faulk won the award in 2000).
In Super Bowl XXXVI, known in St. Louis as the first true occurrence of “Spygate”, Kurt threw for 365 yards and a passing touchdown along with a rushing touchdown. Nevertheless, his rhythm was disrupted by New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s defensive game plan and he tossed two costly interceptions which helped stake the underdog Patriots to a two-touchdown lead. After falling behind to the Patriots 17–3, the Rams rallied to tie the game late in the fourth quarter on a one-yard QB sneak touchdown run and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kurt to Ricky Proehl. The game ended in a loss for Kurt and the Rams when Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired, giving the Patriots the first of three Super Bowl wins in four years and beginning the Bill Belichick dynasty.
What was in store now for the two-time league MVP?
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