With another sponsor now in the mix, Vicks came up with the post that would alternate between the NFC and AFC every week, listing players that "powered through" an illness or injury -- past or present. With all of the talk about how poor the Cardinals current quarterback situation is, I found it only fitting to start the series with Kurt Warner's toughness.
Warner led the Cardinals on an improbable run during his stay in Arizona. He is and was beloved by the fans. He made magic happen when he suited up on Sundays. One instance came in 2007, a week after Matt Leinart broke his collarbone and was sent to the injured reserve. Against the Carolina Panthers at home, Kurt Warner went after a loose ball along with defensive end Julius Peppers. The result would be a nasty injury to Warner's elbow. When he went to reach for the ball, Peppers landed on him, grabbing both the ball and his elbow. If you've ever seen Julius Peppers, than you would know he is a massive specimen.
An MRI after the game confirmed that there was a torn ligament in the elbow, but Warner was confident he would play out the remainder of the season. The injury occurred on Warner's none-throwing arm, meaning he'd still be able to complete the throwing motion.
Wearing a brace, Warner returned the following week on the road against the Redskins, and threw for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns. From week seven to seventeen, Warner remarkably averaged 281.6 passing yards per game, threw 23 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, an 87.1 passer rating, and a 61.2% completion. With the amount of pain Warner suffered in his elbow, it's amazing that he was able to put together those kind of numbers. Then again, he did a lot of amazing things throughout his career. Kurt Warner powered through.
A link to the original story and picture of Warner's elbow can be found here.