Return to the Top (2008). The 2008 season started very slowly for our QB and setter-that-never-was. Matt Leinart was named the Cardinals’ starting QB going into the 2008 season, but head coach Ken Whisenhunt stated that it would absolutely be possible for Kurt Warner to become the team’s starter before week one of the regular season. Kurt performed very well and was rewarded the coveted role of starting QB on August 30, 2008.
Kurt rewarded the team’s confidence in him by returning to MVP form and throwing for 4,583 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 67.1%. He also received FedEx Air Player of the Week honors for his performance during weeks 9 and 11 of the season. On December 7, 2008, Kurt led the Cardinals to a 34–10 win over his former team, the Rams, securing the NFC West Division title for the Cardinals and their first playoff berth since 1998. It was the Cardinals’ first division title since 1975 and only their third such honor of the post-merger era.
In the 2008 playoffs, Kurt continued to thrive. On January 3, 2009, Kurt led the Cardinals in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons 30–24 at home in the first round of the playoffs. During the game Kurt went 19 for 32 passing, a completion percentage of 59.4%, for 271 yards. He threw two touchdowns and one interception. This win represented the first time the Cardinals had won a post-season home game since the 1947 NFL Championship Game.
On January 10, Kurt led the Cardinals to victory over the Carolina Panthers 33–13 in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the game Kurt went 21 for 32 passing for 220 yards, a completion percentage of 65.6%, with two touchdowns and one interception.
On January 18, Kurt threw for 279 yards, 4 TDs and no interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game and led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in history. Kurt is one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history who have made Super Bowl starts with two different teams; the other two are Craig Morton (1970 Dallas Cowboys and 1977 Denver Broncos) and Peyton Manning (2006 and 2009 Indianapolis Colts and 2013 Denver Broncos). Kurt also became the third quarterback in NFL history to win a conference championship with two different teams.
In Kurt’s third career Super Bowl appearance on February 1, 2009, Super Bowl XLIII, the Cardinals lost a heartbreaking 27 – 23 decision to the Pittsburgh Steelers. This loss left Kurt with a career 1–2 career record in Super Bowls. Despite losing, however, Kurt was still very impressive. He threw for 377 yards, completed 72.1% of his passes, and had a quarterback rating of 112.3.
Kurt had now recorded the three highest single-game passing yardage totals in the history of the Super Bowl, joining the elite and exclusive company of Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady,
John Elway, Joe Montana, and Roger Staubach as the only quarterbacks to throw a touchdown pass in three different Super Bowls. Interestingly, Kurt had taken – or, more appropriately, led- his team to the Super Bowl every year that he played as the starting quarterback during all regular and post season games.
What would the 2009 season bring for Kurt Warner?
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