[Stardust]

A good man steps away.

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4870096"]Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner retires after 12 NFL seasons - ESPN@@AMEPARAM@@http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4870417@@AMEPARAM@@4870417[/ame]

Kurt Warner thanked God, hugged his children and wife and said goodbye to an NFL career that seems the stuff of sports fiction.

The 38-year-old quarterback announced his retirement Friday after a dozen years in a league that at first rejected him, then revered him as he came from nowhere to lead the lowly St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls.

Then, as if going from stocking groceries to winning NFL MVP awards wasn't improbable enough, Warner was written off as a has-been and rose again to lead the long-suffering Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl.

A man of deep faith who carried a Bible to each post-game news conference, Warner walked away with a year left on a two-year, $23 million contract, knowing he still had the skills to play at the highest level.


Hall of Fame worthy?
Is Kurt Warner worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Warner's postseason numbers are amongst the best ever but his regular-season career has had its peaks and valleys. A look at his career in three different eras, plus his regular and postseason totals:

Years W-L Comp % Yds. Rat.
'98-01 35-8 66.9 12,651 103.0
'02-06 8-23 63.9 7,940 82.1
'07-09 24-18 65.4 11,753 93.6
Total 67-49 65.5 32,344 93.7
Post 9-4 62.8 3,952 102.8
• Complete career statistics


"It's been an amazing ride," Warner said. "I don't think I could have dreamt it would have played out like it has, but I've been humbled every day that I woke up the last 12 years and amazed that God would choose to use me to do what he's given me the opportunity to do."

Warner had one of the greatest postseason performances ever in Arizona's 51-45 overtime wild card victory over Green Bay on Jan. 10, but sustained a brutal hit in the Cardinals' 45-14 divisional round loss at New Orleans six days later.

"He has had a dominant career," Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. "He's got to do what's best for his family. He played long enough. He took us to the Super Bowl last year.