ARIZONA CARDINALS

Kurt Warner: ‘Very, very difficult’ to gauge quarterbacks

Dec 14, 2012, 5:23 PM | Updated: 5:51 pm

Sorry Arizona Cardinals fans, Kurt Warner is not walking through the proverbial door to save the team.

“I could not do anything for you; I’ve been sitting on the couch doing nothing for three years,” Warner told ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike Friday. “Although people remember me on the football field I know I couldn’t do any of that right now.”

Warner, who now works as an analyst for the NFL Network, threw for 8,336 yards and 56 touchdowns over his final two years with the Cardinals. He led the Cardinals to a pair of NFC West titles as well as Super Bowl XLIII in his final two seasons as a player.

He retired in January of 2010, though, and the team has struggled mightily to replace him ever since.

Matt Leinart, Derek Anderson, Max Hall, Rich Bartel, John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and Ryan Lindley have all gotten an opportunity to be “the guy”, but none have succeeded in the role.

Arizona’s failed quest to find a quarterback has led to struggles on the field. The Cardinals, who went 24-18 with Warner as a starter under head coach Ken Whisenhunt, boasted one of the NFL’s best offenses with him under center. Since he’s left the team, the Cardinals have gone just 17-26.

“That’s why it’s so difficult to replace top quarterbacks when you expect a certain type of play,” Warner said. “We’ve seen it around the league, when Hall of Fame quarterbacks leave it’s very difficult to find that next guy.

“I think one of the reasons is because the expectation is always so high.”

The team’s struggles to replace Warner underscore the challenge a team has in finding a quality passer. The Cardinals have added options through free agency, the draft and trade, but have yet to find an answer.

“It’s a very, very difficult position to gauge before you see somebody behind center in a football game,” he said. “You can take a guy in a practice or you can evaluate a guy going into the draft and think you’re getting something, and when you put him behind center and put him in some different situations they react completely different than what you expected.”

Presented By
Western Governors University

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

1 day ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

1 day ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

2 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

2 days ago

Kurt Warner: ‘Very, very difficult’ to gauge quarterbacks