Kurt Warner Kurtis Eugene " Kurt " Warner ( born June 22 , 1971 ) is a former American football player . He played quarterback for three National Football League ( NFL ) teams : the St . Louis Rams , the New York Giants , and the Arizona Cardinals . He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing college football at Northern Iowa . Warner would go on to be considered the best undrafted player of all time , following a 12 - year career regarded as one of the greatest stories in NFL history . Warner first attained stardom while playing for the St . Louis Rams from 1998 to 2003 , where he won two NFL MVP awards in 1999 and 2001 as well as the Super Bowl MVP award in Super Bowl XXXIV . He led the 2008 Arizona Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII ( the franchise ' s first Super Bowl berth ) , and owns the three highest single - game passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history . Warner currently holds the seventh - highest career passer rating of all - time ( 93 . 7 ) , and the third - highest career completion percentage in NFL history with 65 . 5 % . In 13 career playoff games , Warner ranks first all - time in completion percentage ( 66 . 5 % ) , yards per attempt ( 8 . 55 ) , and second in passer rating ( 102 . 8 ) . He also holds the highest completion percentage for a single game during the regular season , at 92 . 3 percent ( 24 / 26 ) , on September 20 , 2009 , against the Jacksonville Jaguars . He announced his retirement on January 29 , 2010 . Early life . Born in Burlington , Iowa , Warner played football at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids , Iowa , and later went on to attend the University of Northern Iowa . At UNI , Warner was third on the Panthers ' depth chart until his senior year . When Warner was finally given the chance to start , he was named the Gateway Conference ' s Offensive Player of the Year . Professional career . Arena Football . Following his college career , Warner went undrafted in the 1994 NFL Draft . He was invited to try out for the Green Bay Packers ' training camp in 1994 , but was released before the regular season began ; Warner was competing for a spot against Brett Favre , Mark Brunell and former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer . While Warner was with the Packers , the head coach was Mike Holmgren , the quarterback coach was Steve Mariucci and Andy Reid was the offensive assistant . After Warner was released , Mariucci had told him that he knew Warner had enormous potential but was not ready to be an NFL quarterback yet . It was at this time that Warner stocked shelves at a Hy - Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls for $ 5 . 50 an hour . This story was often used as the starting point when telling of his rise to NFL stardom in 1999 . A religious conversion around 1997 is also mentioned by him . Warner also returned to Northern Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant coach with the football team , all the while still hoping to get another tryout with an NFL team . With no NFL teams willing to give him a chance , Warner turned to the Arena Football League in 1995 , and signed with the Iowa Barnstormers . Warner was named to the AFL ' s First - team All - Arena in both 1996 and 1997 after he led the Barnstormers to Arena Bowl appearances in both seasons . Warner ' s performance was so impressive that he would be named twelfth out of the 20 Best Arena Football Players of all time . Before the 1997 Arena season , he requested and got a tryout with the Chicago Bears , but an injury to his throwing elbow caused by a spider bite sustained during his honeymoon prevented him from attending . In 2000 after his breakout NFL season , the Arena Football League used his new notoriety for the name of their first widely available video game , Kurt Warner ' s Arena Football Unleashed . On August 12 , 2011 , Kurt Warner was named as an inductee into the AFL Hall of Fame . St . Louis Rams . In 1998 , Warner was finally signed by an NFL franchise , the St . Louis Rams , and was allocated to NFL Europe ' s Amsterdam Admirals , where he would lead the league in touchdowns and passing yards . Incidentally , his backup at the time was future Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme , another famous rags - to - riches quarterback story . Returning to the United States for the season , Warner spent the 1998 season as St . Louis ' third - string quarterback behind Tony Banks and Steve Bono . He ended his season completing only 4 of 11 pass attempts for 39 yards and a 47 . 2 QB rating . 1999 season . After releasing Banks and Bono following the 1998 season , the Rams signed free agent Trent Green to be their starting QB , and Warner was promoted to second string . When Green tore his ACL in a preseason game , Warner took over as the Rams ' starter . St . Louis coach Dick Vermeil famously stated in a press conference , " We ' ll rally around Kurt Warner and we will play good football " before even seeing Warner work with the Rams ' starting offense . With the support of running back Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce , Torry Holt , Az - Zahir Hakim , and Ricky Proehl , Warner put together one of the top seasons 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 , run by offensive coordinator Mike Martz , was nicknamed " The Greatest Show on Turf " and registered the first in a string of three consecutive 500 - point seasons , an NFL record . Warner threw three touchdown passes in each of his first three NFL starts ; he is the only NFL quarterback in history to accomplish that feat . Warner drew more attention in the Rams ' fourth game of the season , a home game against the San Francisco 49ers ( who had been NFC West division champions for 12 of the previous 13 seasons ) . The Rams had lost their last 17 meetings with the 49ers , but Warner proceeded to throw a touchdown pass on each of the Rams ' first three possessions of the game , and four TDs in the first half alone , to propel the Rams to a 28 – 10 halftime lead on the way to a 42 – 20 victory . Warner finished the game with five touchdown passes , giving him 14 in four games and the Rams a 4 – 0 record . Warner ' s breakout season from a career in anonymity was so unexpected that " Sports Illustrated " featured him on their October 18 cover with the caption " Who " Is " This Guy ? " He was named the 1999 NFL MVP at the season ' s end . In the NFL playoffs , Warner ultimately led the Rams to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory 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 to Isaac Bruce when the game was tied with just over two minutes to play . Warner also set a Super Bowl record by attempting 45 passes without a single interception . For his performance , Warner was awarded the Super Bowl MVP , becoming the seventh player to win both the league MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards in the same year . 2000 season . Warner started the 2000 season where he had left off in his record - setting 1999 season , racking up 300 or more passing yards in each of his first 6 games ( tying Steve Young ' s record ) and posting 19 touchdown passes in that stretch . Warner broke his hand and missed the middle of the season , but Trent Green filled in ably and the Warner / Green duo led the Rams to the highest team passing yard total in NFL history , with 5 , 232 net yards . Warner and Green ' s combined gross passing yard total was 5 , 492 , which , if held by just one player , would surpass the single - season record held by Drew Brees ( 5 , 476 yards ) . In contrast to his previous season , however , Warner ' s turnover rate drastically increased in 2000 , as he threw an interception in 5 . 2 % of his attempts ( compared to just 2 . 6 % in 1999 ) . The Rams were eliminated from the playoffs in the wild card round by the New Orleans Saints despite one of the most productive offensive years by an NFL team . In response to the disappointing season , nine of the Rams ' eleven defensive starters would be cut during the offseason , and Trent Green was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs . 2001 season . Warner quickly returned to MVP form in 2001 . Although his performance lagged behind his 1999 performance , he amassed a league - high 36 touchdown passes and 4 , 830 passing yards , and another league high mark in passer rating ( 101 . 4 ) . Warner ' s penchant for turnovers carried over from 2000 , as he tossed a career - high 22 interceptions ( despite completing a career - high 68 . 7 % of his passes ) , but he still led " The Greatest Show on Turf " to its third consecutive 6 – 0 start ( becoming the first NFL team to do so , later equalled by the 2005 – 2007 Indianapolis Colts ) , an NFL - best 14 – 2 record , and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI . Warner was also named the NFL MVP for the second time in three seasons , giving the Rams their third winner in as many years ( running back Marshall Faulk won in 2000 ) . In Super Bowl XXXVI , Warner threw for 365 yards ( then the second - highest , now the third - highest total in Super Bowl history ) and a passing touchdown along with a rushing touchdown , but 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 heavy - underdog Patriots to a two - touchdown lead . After falling behind to the Patriots 17 – 3 , though , the Rams rallied to tie the game late in the fourth quarter on a one - yard Warner QB sneak touchdown run and a 26 - yard touchdown pass from Warner to Ricky Proehl . The game ended in a loss for Warner and the Rams when Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri booted a game - winning field goal as time expired , giving the Patriots the first of three Super Bowl wins in four years . 2002 – 03 seasons . Warner began the 2002 season as the Rams ' starter , but he played poorly , throwing seven interceptions against only one touchdown as the team went 0 – 3 . In the Rams ' fourth game , this one against the Dallas Cowboys , Warner broke a finger on his throwing hand . Warner attempted to come back later in the season , but his injury allowed him to play only two more games ( both losses ) . In contrast to his 103 . 4 career passer rating entering the season , Warner posted a minuscule 67 . 4 rating in 2002 . The following season , Warner was replaced as the Rams ' starting quarterback for good after fumbling six times in the team ' s opening - day game against the New York Giants . Warner later revealed that he had previously broken his hand and that it had not fully healed , making it more difficult to grip the football . His successor as the Rams ' starting quarterback , Marc Bulger ( another relatively unheralded quarterback coming out of college ) , stepped into the breach and played well upon replacing Warner . New York Giants . 2004 season . The Rams released Warner on June 1 , 2004 , and two days later , he signed a two - year deal with the New York Giants . Warner started the 2004 season as the Giants ' starting quarterback , winning five of his first seven games , but following a two - game losing streak , highly - touted rookie quarterback Eli Manning was given the starting job . The Giants had a 5 – 4 win - loss record at the time of Warner ' s benching , finishing at 6 – 10 overall ( going only 1 – 6 under Manning ) . Following the season , Warner chose to void the second year of his contract , and thus became a free agent . Arizona Cardinals . 2005 season . In early 2005 , Warner signed a one - year , $ 4 - million contract with the Arizona Cardinals , and was quickly named the starter by coach Dennis Green . Warner posted three relatively mediocre performances before injuring his groin and being replaced by former starter Josh McCown . McCown performed well enough in the two games Warner missed that Green named McCown the starter for the remainder of the season . But after McCown struggled in two straight games , Green re - inserted Warner into the starting line - up . After playing fairly well in two consecutive losses ( passing for a total of nearly 700 yards ) , Warner defeated his former team , the Rams , by a score of 38 – 28 . He passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns while posting a quarterback rating of 115 . 9 . Warner ' s season ended in Week 15 when he partially tore his MCL . Warner signed a new three - year deal with the Cardinals on February 14 , 2006 . The deal had a base salary of $ 18 million and , with performance incentives , could have been worth as much as $ 24 million . 2006 season . In Week One of the 2006 NFL season , Warner won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award , throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns in a win over San Francisco . Two weeks later , Warner passed the 20 , 000 - yard passing milestone in his 76th game , the second - quickest of any player in NFL history ( Warner accomplished the feat in one game more than it took record - holder Dan Marino ) . After three subpar games in Weeks 2 – 4 , Warner was replaced at quarterback by rookie Matt Leinart in the fourth quarter of Week 4 . Then - coach Dennis Green stated that Warner would be the backup quarterback for the remainder of the season . In Week 16 , Leinart went down with a shoulder injury against the 49ers , forcing Warner to see his first action since Week 4 . Warner filled in nicely , as he was able to hang on for the Cardinals win . In Week 17 against the San Diego Chargers , Warner started again in place of the injured Leinart , throwing for 365 yards ( which led the NFL for that week ) and a touchdown , though the Chargers were able to hang on for a 27 – 20 win . 2007 season . Leinart was given the starting quarterback job at the start of the 2007 season . But in the third game of the season , against the Baltimore Ravens , Warner came off the bench to relieve an ineffective Leinart during the 4th quarter with the Ravens leading 23 – 6 at the beginning of the period . He would lead a furious comeback , as he completed 15 of 20 passes for 258 yds and 2 TDs . This brought Arizona to a tie game ( 23 – 23 ) , though Arizona would go on to lose the game 26 – 23 after Baltimore kicked a last - second field goal . On September 30 , 2007 , during the week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers , Warner relieved Leinart again , following another ineffective start by Leinart . Warner finished with 14 / 21 for 132 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions , while Leinart re - entered the game in the 4th quarter and led the Cardinals to their final touchdown . After Leinart was placed on injured reserve , Warner was named starter for the remainder of the 2007 season . Warner passed for a career - high 484 yards against the 49ers in a 37 – 31 loss on November 25 , but had a fumble in the end zone in overtime that was recovered by Tully Banta - Cain to lose the game . However , the following week showed an improvement for Warner and the Cardinals , earning a victory over the Browns that brought the Cardinals to 6 – 6 and kept them in the chase for the NFC Wild Card playoff spot . Warner finished the 2007 season with 27 passing touchdowns , just one shy of the Cardinals franchise record . Warner ' s performance earned him a $ 1 million bonus for the year , and he fell just short of attaining a 90 . 0 + passer rating , which would have given him an extra $ 500 , 000 . 2008 season . Leinart was named the Cardinals ' starting QB going into the 2008 off - season , but Ken Whisenhunt stated that it would be very possible for Warner to be the starter before Week 1 of the regular season . Indeed , Warner was named the starter on August 30 , 2008 . That season , Warner had 4 , 583 passing yards , 30 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 67 . 1 % . Warner also received FedEx Air Player of the Week honors for his performance during weeks 9 and 11 of the season . On December 7 , 2008 , Warner led the Cardinals to a 34 – 10 win over his former team , the Rams , securing for the Cardinals the NFC West Division title and their first playoff berth since 1998 . It was the Cardinals ' first division title since 1975 and third of the post - merger era . As a result , the Cardinals would play only their second home playoff game ever , as they had never played a home playoff game in Arizona despite winning two division titles . On December 16 , 2008 Warner was named the starting quarterback for the NFC team in the 2009 Pro Bowl . 2008 post - season . On January 3 , 2009 , Warner led the Cardinals in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons 30 – 24 at home in the first round the playoffs . During the game Warner went 19 for 32 , 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 , Warner led the Cardinals in their 20 - point defeat of the Carolina Panthers 33 – 13 in Charlotte , North Carolina in the second round of the playoffs . During the game Warner went 21 for 32 , a completion percentage of 65 . 6 % , for 220 yards , with two touchdowns and one interception . This win represented the first time the Cardinals won a game on the East Coast that entire season . On January 18 , Warner threw for 279 yards , four touchdowns and no interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles to help lead the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in history . Warner is the second quarterback to make Super Bowl starts with two different teams joining Craig Morton ( 1970 Dallas Cowboys and 1977 Denver Broncos ) . He also became the third quarterback in NFL history to win a conference championship with two different teams , following Craig Morton and Earl Morrall . In Warner ' s third career Super Bowl appearance on February 1 , the Cardinals lost Super Bowl XLIII 27 – 23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers , leaving him with a career 1 – 2 record in Super Bowls . Despite losing , Warner still managed to throw for 377 yards ( the 2nd - highest total in Super Bowl history ) , completed 72 . 1 % of his passes , and had a quarterback rating of 112 . 3 . Warner has now recorded the three highest single - game passing yardage totals in the history of the Super Bowl , and joined Joe Montana , John Elway , Terry Bradshaw , and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks to throw a touchdown pass in three different Super Bowls . Warner has taken his team to the Super Bowl every year that he has played as the starting quarterback during all regular and post season games . 2009 season . Warner announced his desire to return to the Cardinals for the 2009 season . The Cardinals offered him a two - year contract worth around $ 20 million but Warner was looking for a contract that would pay him about $ 14 million a year and the two sides could not come to an agreement . On February 27 , 2009 Warner became a free agent and went on to have talks with the San Francisco 49ers . The 49ers offered Warner a contract worth more than that offered by the Cardinals . On March 4 , Warner re - signed with the Cardinals to a two - year deal worth $ 23 million total , $ 4 million for each of the next two years , with a $ 15 million signing bonus . Warner underwent arthroscopic hip surgery to repair a torn labrum on March 17 , 2009 . On September 20 , 2009 , Warner broke the NFL ’ s single - game record for completion percentage in the regular season , completing 24 of 26 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns . Warner ' s 92 . 3 percent completion rate broke the previous NFL record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1993 . On November 1 , 2009 , Warner threw a career - high equaling 5 interceptions during a 34 – 21 loss to the Carolina Panthers . During the same game Warner became the first quarterback in the NFL to throw for over 14 , 000 yards with two different teams . On November 8 , 2009 , Warner equaled his career - high of 5 touchdown passes in a single game during a 41 – 21 victory over the Chicago Bears . This performance led to Warner being named both the NFC Offensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week . On November 15 , 2009 , Warner reached a career milestone with his 200th touchdown pass during a 31 – 20 win against the Seattle Seahawks . On November 22 , 2009 , during a 21 – 13 victory over the St . Louis Rams , Warner left the game after suffering a concussion . Warner continued to suffer from post - concussion symptoms and on November 29 , 2009 , he was deactivated against the Tennessee Titans , breaking his consecutive starts streak at 41 straight games . On December 6 , 2009 , Warner returned to action as the Cardinals defeated the Minnesota Vikings 30 – 17 . Warner registered his fourth consecutive game with a passer rating of 120 or better , making him only the second quarterback in NFL history to accomplish the feat . After his three - touchdown performance , Warner was named both the NFC Offensive Player of the Week and the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week . On December 27 , 2009 , Warner became only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw 100 touchdown passes with two different teams ( Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton is the other ) , in the Cardinals ' 31 – 10 win over the St . Louis Rams . On December 29 , 2009 , Warner was named an alternate quarterback for the NFC team in the 2010 Pro Bowl . 2009 post season . On January 10 , 2010 , Warner threw 5 touchdowns and completed 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards in a 51 – 45 victory over the Green Bay Packers . The game had the highest combined total score in NFL playoff history . Warner became one of the very few quarterbacks in NFL history to throw more touchdowns ( 5 ) than incompletions ( 4 ) in a playoff game . Warner finished the game with the second highest quarterback rating in NFL playoff history with a rating of 154 . 1 . He also became the second quarterback to throw for 5 touchdown passes in a playoff game twice , and the first to do so since the merger . He is also the oldest player to throw that many touchdown passes in a playoff game ( 38 years , 202 days ) . Warner also tied the NFL record for consecutive playoff games with at least three touchdown passes ( 3 games ) . Since the playoff game was his last at home in the playoffs during his career , he finished a perfect 7 - 0 in home contests ( 4 - 0 with St . Louis ; 3 - 0 with Arizona ) . On January 16 , Warner was injured in the first half trying to tackle the ball carrier after an interception on the way to a 45 – 14 loss at New Orleans in the NFC Divisional round . He returned for the second half , but yielded to understudy Matt Leinart midway through the fourth quarter . After the game , Cardinals players thought the hit was cheap and intentional . In 2012 , the NFL found out that the Saints put a bounty on Warner . Retirement . On January 29 , 2010 Warner officially announced his retirement from the National Football League . He said he was looking forward to finally being a true father to his seven kids , and that he wanted to spend time with his wife . He spoke on the impact and influence of his family , former teammates , and God . He will be eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame following the 2014 season . Warner became an Iowa Barnstormers broadcaster for the 2011 Arena Football League season . On May 22 , 2010 he was inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame . He is also a member of the Iowa Barnstormers Hall of Fame . In 2011 , after an injury to quarterback Jay Cutler , rumors circulated about Warner , along with either Donovan McNabb and Brett Favre , joining the Chicago Bears to be the second - string after the failures of Caleb Hanie . Unlike McNabb and Favre , who were willing to fill in , Warner denied these rumors . The Bears ultimately signed Warner ' s former Arizona Cardinals teammate , Josh McCown . NFL records . Warner shares several records : Warner also ranks second in several categories : Broadcasting and television . In 2010 , Warner joined NFL Network as an analyst . He can be seen regularly on NFL Total Access , as well as in - studio on NFL Network ’ s Thursday Night Football pregame show , Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears . Warner also served as an analyst for the NFL Network ' s coverage of the 2010 Arena Football League playoffs . On January 27 , 2009 , Warner made a special appearance on the NBC reality show " The Biggest Loser " . Warner made a guest appearance on Disney ' s " The Suite Life on Deck " as himself in the episode " Any Given Fantasy " which aired on the Disney Channel January 18 , 2010 . On February 9 , 2010 , Warner was a surprise guest on the final episode of " The Jay Leno Show " . In August 2010 , Fox Sports announced that Warner would be serving as a color analyst on the network ' s NFL coverage in the 2010 season . He will team with play - by - play announcers Chris Rose or Chris Myers to call regional games . On August 30 , 2010 , it was announced on live television that Warner would be appearing as a contestant on " Dancing with the Stars " . His professional dance partner was Anna Trebunskaya ; the couple were eliminated in week 8 , the Instant Choreography Week . Warner will appear as the host of " The Moment " , a reality series to air on USA Network in 2013 . Endorsements . On December 3 , 2010 , Warner ' s first multi - year post - retirement endorsement agreement was announced . Amway North America announced that it had signed Warner to a multi - year endorsement agreement to represent the Nutrilite brand . Amway reportedly agreed to make a $ 50 , 000 donation Kurt Warner ' s First Things First Foundation . In addition to his post - retirement endorsements and charity work , Warner has invested in the Elite Football League of India , a South Asian professional football league . Other prominent American backers include former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka , former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin , sports analyst Ron Jaworski , and actor Mark Wahlberg . Warner ' s total investment amount remains undisclosed , although $ 50 , 000 of it will go towards a donation of footballs to schools and underprivileged children throughout India . Personal life . Kurt Warner was born to Gene and Sue Warner ; he has a brother , Matt . Warner ' s parents divorced when he was 6 . His father , Gene Warner remarried a year later . Warner ' s stepmother , Mimi Warner , also had a son named Matt ( Post ) . The three boys formed a close relationship soon thereafter . He graduated in 1989 from Regis High School , Cedar Rapids , Iowa , where he was quarterback of the school ' s Class 3A football team . During college , Warner met his future wife , Brenda Carney Meoni ; they married on October 11 , 1997 . Brenda is a former United States Marine Corps corporal . She was divorced with two children – one of whom had been left brain - damaged and blind after being dropped by Brenda ' s ex - husband – leading to her hardship discharge from the Marines in 1990 . After Warner was cut from the Packers ' training camp in 1994 , he got a job working the night shift as a stock boy at a local Hy - Vee grocery store , in addition to his work as an assistant - coach at Northern Iowa . While Warner was working as an assistant - coach , the couple was living in Brenda ' s parent ' s basement in Cedar Falls . Brenda ' s parents were killed in 1996 when their Arkansas house was destroyed by a tornado . Warner and Brenda married in October 11 , 1997 at the St . John American Lutheran Church , the same place where the service for Brenda ' s parents were held . Warner was still hoping to get an NFL tryout , but with that possibility appearing dim and the long hours at the Hy - Vee for minimum wage taking their toll , Warner began his Arena League career . After getting married , Warner officially adopted Brenda ' s two children from her first marriage and they have since added five children of their own . Kurt and Brenda Warner are devout evangelical Christian s . His faith first emerged on the international scene following the Rams ' Super Bowl victory , where he was named the game ' s MVP : Nine years later , upon leading the Cardinals to the franchise ' s first ever Super Bowl , Warner ' s response was similar : Warner has usually attended charismatic churches , and believes that God healed him from a concussion he suffered in 2000 . However , he himself eschews the term . In 2001 , he told " Charisma " , " I ' m just a Christian . " Warner has also appeared in several public service announcement s for Civitan International , promoting their volunteer efforts and their work with the developmentally disabled . This issue is personally close to Warner , as Zachary , his adopted son from Brenda ' s first marriage , suffered major brain damage as an infant when his biological father accidentally dropped him . On October 24 , 2006 , he was featured in a political advertisement opposing a bill supporting embryonic stem cell research in Missouri . The advertisement was in response to a pro - embryonic research ad featuring Michael J . Fox . He appeared in the advertisement with James Caviezel , Patricia Heaton , Jeff Suppan , and Mike Sweeney . The advertisement aired during game four of the 2006 World Series . Warner has devoted time and money to his First Things First Foundation , the name of which was derived from his interview after winning the Super Bowl in 1999 . The foundation is dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values , sharing experiences and providing opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when people seek to put ‘ first things first . ’ The foundation has been involved with numerous projects for causes such as children ' s hospitals , people with developmental disabilities and assisting single parents . Warner ' s work both on and off the field resulted in him being awarded the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award 2008 , which was presented to him at the start of Super Bowl XLIII . In March 2009 , Warner was honored with the Muhammad Ali Sports Leadership Award . Warner was selected by USA Weekend as the winner of its annual Most Caring Athlete Award for 2009 . In December 2009 , Warner topped a Sports Illustrated poll of NFL players to name the best role model on and off the field in the NFL . In February 2010 , Warner received the annual Bart Starr Award , given for outstanding character and leadership in the home , on the field and in the community . At the award presentation , Bart Starr said of Warner : " We have never given this award to anyone who is more deserving " .