Tag: kurt warner

The best players in pro football history released by other teams

If you were released by an NFL team today, your career may not be over! Several pro football Hall of Famers were once cut by other teams.

On the annual occasion of the NFL’s cruel necessity to trim its rosters down to the mandated 53 players, it’s important to remember that for the hundreds of players who heard the worst possible professional news on Tuesday, August 30, that there is hope after getting cut by one team. If you’ve put good tape out there, other teams will see it, and you might get another shot that way. Perhaps a coach or executive you’ve worked with before is on another team, and that person wants you where they are now. Or maybe a team that’s wafer-thin at your position will roll the dice.

Given the sheer numbers, it makes sense that players cut by one team would find success elsewhere. In rare occasions, players who have been jettisoned, unwanted, have rolled up to other places and played at levels that landed them (at the very least) in a Ring of Honor somewhere, and (at the very most) in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Not everybody releasing players this week is right. And not every player released this week is wrong. It’s important for all of those players to remember that, and perhaps to be inspired by this list of the best players in pro football history to find themselves released by one team, only to succeed beyond anybody’s wildest expectations somewhere else.

Check out Part 2 of Kurt Warner breaking down Russell Wilson film

Here’s some pretty cool footage of Kurt Warner breaking down some Russell Wilson film.

Kurt Warner is back in the lab watching film of Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson.

First time around, the former looked at the latter’s “second-level throws.” Which is described, by Warner, as passes between 15 and 25 yards.

Now, Warner is breaking down Wilson’s ability to “move and throw the football.” That’s right, we’re now looking at Wilson keeping plays alive with his legs. Not every play call is going to work. But with quarterbacks like Wilson, mobile threats, the call can still work. Wilson is able to elude the pass-rush by moving out of the pocket, planting his feet and throwing. Or he can take off and scramble. Especially if the defense is playing man, meaning the defenders’ backs are facing the QB.

Warner added Wilson separates himself with his ability to move. “Whether he’s staying on the run or whether he half rolls to be able to get out in space, buy himself some time, and make those big throws down the field,” Warner said. “Those are the things he’s really good at.”

Now, to the tape.

Warner dissects a Seahawks play against the 49ers defense. The defense is lined up in a Cover 1 or 3 man defense. Wilson is able to move the lame duck safety, or the single high safety, with his eyes and the play design of a roll out. D.K. Metcalf, meanwhile, sneakily gets open on a crosser on the side of the field opposite of the roll out. Broncos Country hopes Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy can do the same next season. Enough spoilers, click the link above to watch Warner break down more tape.

Check out part 2 of Warner grinding Wilson’s tape on the former’s YouTube channel: Kurt Warner x QBConfidential. We’ll see the latter creating more tape to grind next month when training camp starts.

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Kurt Warner breaks down film of Broncos QB Russell Wilson

What are the Broncos getting in Russell Wilson? Kurt Warner breaks down the film.

Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson traded in his Seattle wings for Denver’s horsepower.

As we await training camp, fellow Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner is in the lab breaking down film. What a (football) guy.

Before breaking down Wilson’s film, Warner gives the former his flowers, saying, “A lot of excitement in Denver about what Russell Wilson brings to the table along with a really good roster, really good defense, a lot of young talent offensively. And there should be a lot of excitement. Russell Wilson [is] one of the best quarterbacks in the league and as I watch tape on him, I get more and more impressed.”

Now, to the tape.

Warner takes a look at how well Wilson is at “the second-level throws.” In Warner’s words, he means the 15- to 25-yard throws. Or “the deep overs,” he says.

Displaying a play of the Seahawks in the red-zone, Warner breaks down the route concepts and the defensive look. Typically, the defense’s coverage dictates where the ball’s going to go pre-snap. That’s why defenses disguise coverage. That’s also why teams prefer mobile QBs in the modern era of football in case a play breaks down. As you can see, the most physical sport in the world is mostly mental. With physical attributes only highlighted if the right split-second decision is made.

In this play, though, there’s a single high safety. Meaning the defense is in a Cover 1 or 3 scheme. For reference, Cover 2 or 4 would have the defense showing two high safeties. Also, typically, the defense is running zone if the CBs have their backs to the sideline and man if lined straight up on the opposing WR.

So if the defense shows a single high safety with the CBs’ backs facing the sideline, it’s likely a Cover 1 or 3 zone. But if the CBs are lined up straight on their opposing WRs, it’s Cover 1 or 3 man. In the play Warner dissects, the defense is in a Cover 1 or 3 zone defense pre-snap.

How you attack a single high safety, as any elite Madden gamer knows, is by sending vertical routes at the safety. Especially in a zone play. The lame-duck safety is going to have to pick a vertical to cover, in theory, and the other side will be open for the pitch and catch. It’s exactly what Wilson does. Although the first-read isn’t open. Wilson doesn’t force the throw; instead, scoring a touchdown by going down his progressions to see who is open.

Check out Warner breaking down the tape in the above video, and be sure to check out his YouTube channel: Kurt Warner x QBConfidential.

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WATCH: Kurt Warner breaks down Tyreek Hill’s speed, route-running ability

The Hall of Famer shows some of the intricacies of the wideout’s game.

When the Miami Dolphins traded five draft picks for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill before giving him a huge extension to make him the highest-paid player at his position, they knew that he is a gamechanger for their offense.

Hill has made six straight Pro Bowl appearances and helped the Chiefs make the AFC Championship game three years in a row.

Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-analyst Kurt Warner recently took some time to break down film of Hill’s career in Kansas City to show why he’s been so successful while showing some of the concepts that Miami may want to take advantage of in 2022 and beyond.

His speed and route-running are among the best of any wideout in the NFL today, and, this year, he’ll have a chance to prove that he was more than just the offense he was in and the quarterback he played with.

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Kurt Warner offers advice to Giants QB Daniel Jones

Pro Football Hall of Famer, Kurt Warner, has some sage advice for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

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The New York Giants remain publicly committed to quarterback Daniel Jones but their decision to decline his fifth-year option has raised some eyebrows.

It shouldn’t.

Business in the NFL is just that — business. Guaranteeing Jones a 2023 salary of $22.4 million was never in the cards. Nothing that happened this offseason was ever going to change that, so general manager Joe Schoen hedged his bets.

If Jones plays well in 2022, the Giants can simply use the franchise tag on him next year. During that time, they’re free to negotiate a long-term deal or just wait another season to see if Jones continues to improve. It’s the best of all worlds.

And just because the Giants declined Jones’ fifth-year option doesn’t mean their faith in him is all smoke and mirrors. And that’s something Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner wants the 24-year-old to keep in mind.

“Everybody wants to get their big deal two years before the contract is up and wants teams to commit to them for next decade, but it doesn’t work that way,” Warner told the New York Daily News. “Daniel has to be realistic and say ‘You know what? I haven’t played at that level to say I’m a franchise guy yet.’

“It doesn’t mean he can’t. The lack of weapons around him could be a reason for why he hasn’t yet. And it doesn’t mean the Giants don’t believe in you. It doesn’t mean they don’t want you to be that franchise quarterback. But the money at that position is crazy.”

The Giants have undeniably done Jones a disservice, especially over the previous two years. His offensive line has been among the worst in football, while the rushing attack hasn’t been much better. The receivers have been among the league leaders in dropped passes and near the bottom in separation. Do we even dare talk about the injuries?

Still, the clock is ticking on Jones. Sometimes you’re dealt a bad hand and over the past two seasons, he hasn’t played it well.

In 2022, that excuse will no longer hold water.

“I think it was the right thing to do by the organization and in accordance with how Daniel has played to this point,” Warner added. “But I don’t think it’s contradictory to what the Giants are saying. They’re saying we’re going to put a team around him and create an infrastructure so he has the chance to show us what he’s going to be. And if he does, we’re gonna sign him to that deal.

“But he hasn’t shown us yet.”

Luckily for Jones, Giants head coach Brian Daboll intends to take the leash off him this year. He wants Jones to be aggressive and not fear making mistakes. It’s the same sort of approach that made Eli Manning a dominant quarterback under Kevin Gilbride.

“You’re never gonna be a great team or compete for a championship if you’re gonna keep a leash on your quarterback, if he doesn’t do what’s needed to compete with the best in the league,” Warner said. “That’s the approach you have to take with Daniel is ‘show us. We want you to be that guy, now it’s time to do your part and be that guy.’ If you continue to keep handcuffs on him, then you’re just saying he’s not that guy.”

The new Giants regime is making the right decisions and they’re finally giving Jones his best chance of success. The rest, as they say, is on him.

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Kurt Warner did a great film breakdown of Matthew Stafford’s Super Bowl performance

Matthew Stafford threw a couple of INTs in Super Bowl LVI, but overall, Kurt Warner says he played “a heck of a football game.”

Matthew Stafford played brilliantly in the postseason, leading the Rams to a win in Super Bowl LVI. Though his performance against the Bengals wasn’t necessarily his best game of the year, he played plenty well enough to win the game, throwing three touchdown passes with two interceptions – one of which wasn’t his fault.

Kurt Warner did an extensive film breakdown of Stafford’s showing in the Super Bowl, going through all of the key plays from the game. Overall, Warner thought Stafford played “a heck of a football game,” and didn’t really blame him for the interceptions. He said one of them was “like a punt,” and fans will remember that the other went off Ben Skowronek’s hands.

Warner released his breakdown in four separate parts, analyzing Stafford’s performance – both the good and the bad plays.

Watch: Kurt Warner breaks down Matthew Stafford’s stellar performance vs. Bucs

Kurt Warner came away extremely impressed with the way Matthew Stafford played against the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford turned in one of his best performances of the season on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading the Los Angeles Rams to a 30-27 win in the divisional round. He completed 28 of 38 passes for 366 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers, completing a 44-yard pass to Cooper Kupp in the final seconds to set up the game-winning field goal by Matt Gay.

Kurt Warner has been breaking down Stafford’s game all season, both the good and the bad. Coming out of Sunday’s playoff win, Warner is high on the Rams quarterback and loves the way he played.

After watching Stafford play a near-perfect game against the Cardinals, Warner saw another great performance by the quarterback in Tampa Bay.

“Then he comes back against Tampa, really good defense, and plays lights out once again with big play after big play,” Warner said. “If it wasn’t for some mistakes by his teammates, he probably blows away Tom Brady in that game. It was a lot closer than it should’ve been, but with it being close, it allowed Matthew Stafford to make some of those really special plays that caught our eye.”

Take a look at Warner’s complete breakdown in the video below.

Q&A: Zachary Levi on the challenges of playing Kurt Warner and how he physically prepared for the role

We spoke to the actor about playing the Hall of Fame QB.

American Underdog, the Kurt Warner biopic hitting theaters on Christmas Day, tells the inspirational story of Warner’s improbable rise from a struggling small-town college football player to grocery store employee to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame quarterback.

Zachary Levi plays Warner alongside Anna Paquin, who plays his wife, Brenda. Earlier this month, we got the chance to talk to Levi — the star of Chuck and Shazam! — about preparing for the role (he had to learn how to throw a perfect spiral) and even snuck in a question about one of Levi’s favorite shows, Ted Lasso.

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Kurt Warner’s silver puffy jacket turned into a hilarious meme before Browns-Raiders

HAHAHA!

Look: I don’t know why NFL fans everywhere made fun of Kurt Warner and the giant, puffy, silver jacket that he wore while in the booth for the Las Vegas Raiders win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday evening.

Dude had to stay warm, right? Cleveland’s a cold place this time of year, and even with whatever heating was around, you need to bundle up!

That said, the jokes and memes about said puffy jacket were very funny and the Hall of Famer was more than happy to laugh about them too.

Let’s run through it all, from memes to Warner’s reaction:

Kurt Warner is worried about which Matthew Stafford the Rams will get in the playoffs

Kurt Warner still isn’t sold on the Rams because “when the playoffs come, we don’t know which Matthew Stafford we’re going to get.”

It was often mentioned after the Rams acquired Matthew Stafford from the Lions that the veteran quarterback has never won a playoff game. And prior to Monday night’s win over the Lions, he had never even beaten a team with at least 10 wins in his entire career.

Part of that is because the Lions rarely had a top defense or a great supporting cast around Stafford, but he won’t make excuses for his own struggles in big games, either.

With the Rams, Stafford has Pro Bowlers all around him and a golden opportunity to make a deep playoff run. But Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner worries about what version of Stafford the Rams will get in the playoffs because he can be inconsistent at times.

“As always, it’s gonna come down to consistency at quarterback, and I’m still kind of holding my breath with the Rams,” Warner told Mike Silver of Bally Sports. “I’m worried about who Matthew Stafford is gonna be in the playoffs. We’ve seen him play really well at times, like (Monday) night, but we’ve also seen him make some brutal mistakes that keep his team from winning. And when the playoffs come, we don’t know which Matthew Stafford we’re going to get.”

Warner noted that Stafford has always been in a situation where he feels like he has to win games for his team and carry them on his back. That’s not necessarily wrong, but now in Los Angeles, he doesn’t have to take on that burden.

He has Cooper Kupp to make plays at receiver, Sony Michel and Darrell Henderson Jr. at running back and a defense that boasts Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald. Stafford no longer has to be Superman for the Rams.

Warner just wonders if he’s gotten out of that mindset, and whether it will come back in the playoffs in a negative way.

“So my question is, who are we gonna get come playoff time?” he continued. “We’ve seen both in Detroit — we saw them win some games because he’s Matthew Stafford, and we saw them lose some games because he’s Matthew Stafford. When he gets into the playoffs this time, if things aren’t going great — and a lot of times in the playoffs, they aren’t — who will show up?”

If the Rams get the Stafford that completed 23 of his 30 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns in the Rams’ 30-23 win over the Cardinals on Monday night, they’re going to go a long way in the postseason. But if he plays the way he did during the team’s three-game losing streak when he threw three pick-sixes and five total interceptions, they could be one-and-done.

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