The Point After

The average NFL player only plays 3-4 years. That’s a hard one to swallow. It gets even harder this time of year.
As we head to the draft, every prospect is the next superstar or at least a player that will contribute for eight to ten years. The expectations are high for those young players who haven’t played a down yet in the NFL.
A three to four year average seems worse when we consider that some players play ten, 12, even 15 years in the league. That’s counteracting those that are cut before the regular season and those that can’t finish one year in the league.
The prevailing mindset this time of year is how veterans have had their day and it’s time to embrace something new, a new breed of talent for the team.
In reality, the veterans time and time again contribute more to NFL teams than rookies.
The players chosen in the first two rounds of the draft get paid handsomely. The others do not.
The later picks represent a smaller figure against the salary cap and it is this that has made them more appealing than a veteran.
In 2010, there will be no salary cap and thus teams can spend as much as they want.
Those later draft picks will lose that cheaper advantage. It’s quite likely that fewer late round draft picks make NFL teams this year and more veterans remain employed.

Kurt Warner announced his retirement from the NFL recently. Warner’s time in the NFL is one of both failure and success; a story about overcoming the odds to become a champion.
The public’s love for the underdog type players is well documented. Those players that no team wanted to spend a pick on in the draft, that not only make the team, but do well, makes for a good story. The too small Notre Dame player remembered in the movie Rudy is another example.
Warner’s post college career did begin with a chance in the NFL, but it also ended one year when he didn’t make the team and was out of football.
The World Football League was about to crumble due to a number of poor business decisions and lack of audience support. The NFL took over managing the league and renamed it NFLEurope.
NFL Europe was to be a minor league of sorts for NFL teams and also a way for the NFL to market it’s product overseas. With the total number of players on rosters and practice squads exceeding 50 players for each NFL team and more than 1500 total players in the league, the notion of a minor league was scoffed at by many. The players could develop into better players and learn the game, but those that weren’t part of the 1500+ were not going to make an impact in the NFL. It was merely an exercise within a test market.
Still wanting to play football and determined that he could make it in the NFL, Warner played football in the “new” league named NFL Europe. During the offseason, he bagged groceries. The notion that a Superbowl winning quarterback once bagged groceries for a living makes him one of the more intriguing underdog stories.
In NFL Europe, Warner worked with one of the least known and yet greatest quarterback tutors ever. His name was Mike Chan. During the 90s, no coach or even general manager put more quarterbacks into the NFL. He had the Midas touch, working with nine different future NFL quarterbacks including Jake Delhomme and Jon Kitna. Players like Warner who didn’t seem to have an NFL future and were chasing the unattainable dream.
Chan would improve every facet of Warner’s game. As Warner was fortunate the NFL took over the World League, he too was fortunate that Dick Vermeil came out of his retirement to coach again. While retired, Vermeil naturally did not invest countless hours in evaluating players. When he became a coach, he had to, and most players were new to him. This provided an opportunity for Warner. There were no preconceived negative opinions from him having not made it into the NFL after a college career at Northern Iowa University. He wasn’t labeled a career backup or someone that wouldn’t make it in the NFL. Like Vermeil, Warner was starting anew and it was this fresh perspective that gave him a chance.
Trent Green was signed to a large free agent contract by the St. Louis Rams to be their starting quarterback. A good young quarterback with a bright future, his signing was looked upon as the team getting that all important “franchise quarterback” that teams must acquire to be successful. Green relished the opportunity and was excited for the upcoming season.
Warner worked his way up from being fifth on the depth chart when camp began, to being Trent Green’s backup.
Then the next fortunate thing happened for Warner. Trent Green was injured, giving Warner a chance to start a game in the NFL. Green would also become an invaluable resource to Warner as an ear for Warner to bend and get advice from.
Warner was exceptional and took the NFL by storm, setting NFL records as their offense became known as “the fastest show on turf.” Warner had a knack for leading the receiver with a pass so perfectly that the receiver didn’t break stride and just kept running. The Rams wide receivers were fast and not having to stop, turn and catch the ball made them appear to be the fastest team fans had ever seen.
After two Superbowl victories and two NFL MVP awards, Warner’s career took a downward spiral.
No longer on the team he helped rise to greatness, he was now on a poor New York Giants team. The Giants had drafted Eli Manning and Warner was merely a placeholder for a position that Manning would surely command for many years to come.
Warner had been battling a thumb injury that affected his grip on the ball and consequently his self-confidence. It was evident in his play, and his career seemed to be over.
Warner began his NFL career as a backup to Brett Favre. Favre suffered a thumb injury himself and overcame it.
With his career likely over, Warner signed in Arizona where USC’s Matt Leinart had been drafted. Again he seemed to be holding a seat warm for a talented top draft pick.
Leinart struggled to adjust to the NFL game as many rookie quarterbacks do. Warner struggled to get his confidence back. Each would have good and bad moments. Eventually Warner became the temporary starter. One training camp later and it seemed he was done yet again. Now it was supposed to be Leinart’s turn. Instead, Warner played so well and surprised many by winning the starting quarterback job.
Warner would go on to lead the lowly Cardinals, one of the losingest franchises in NFL history, to the Superbowl.
Warner’s second to last game was possibly his best ever. In a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, he completed an incredible 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and threw for five touchdowns. The official number of drops for the game is listed as four. Warner quite possibly had a perfect game.
People now retired will naturally discuss his eligibility for the hall of fame. His struggles will be weighed against his successes. The records he set and the trophies he won will surely be in his favor. Still, some will find a way to create doubt among the voters as always occurs.
If for no other reason, Warner will make the hall of fame because his story is one of the most compelling stories football fans have ever heard of. They relished it and were inspired by it - a relative nobody overcoming odds to be a champion.
The hall of fame voters are all fans, and some were active in the NFL. Warner had to overcome more than most NFL players just by earning a chance to play. The voters that lived the life surely are aware of exactly what he overcame, moreso than what the general public understands.
His story is one that needs to be told over and over like a classic novel. Voting him into the hall of fame will ensure that it is.