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#40 Never Forget
Giants: Warner's stay left a lasting impression
Monday, September 05, 2005
BY MIKE GARAFOLO
Star-Ledger Staff
When Kurt Warner walked out of the Giants' locker room on Jan. 3, everyone knew he wouldn't be coming back. Everyone including Eli Manning.
So a few weeks later, Manning sent Warner a "nice collared shirt" along with a note of gratitude for his assistance during a one-year stop in East Rutherford.
"I knew he was leaving and I wanted to thank him for helping me out," Manning said of Warner, who returns to Giants Stadium on Sunday with his new team, the Arizona Cardinals. "With the situation the way it was, different people could have acted in different ways. But he stayed very professional, stuck behind me and helped me when I was struggling."
The situation went like this: On draft day last April, the Giants traded for Manning -- the No. 1 overall pick. Realizing rookie quarterbacks need time to adjust to the NFL and wanting to field the most competitive team possible, the Giants struck a deal with Warner in June shortly after he was released.
It was a two-year contract, but because both parties had the option of voiding it after 2004, Warner knew he would be a Giant for only one season.
During that time, he would teach Manning by pushing him for the starting job. Warner, meanwhile, would have a chance to prove to the league that he was the same quarterback who led the Rams to a pair of Super Bowls.
"Even last year, we never had cell phone numbers for each other," Manning said of their relationship. "But when we were here, we got along well, we watched film together and we talked."
Warner won the training-camp battle to be the starter and led the Giants to a surprising 4-1 record heading into the bye week. That left the team with a dilemma: abandon a solid chance for the playoffs or have Manning sit for an entire season.
Three losses in the next four games were a good-enough excuse to make the change. The playoffs were still within reach -- especially in the weak NFC -- but Warner found himself watching the team's future while his became cloudy.
But he didn't complain once.
"He remained supportive and in talking to the media, he said all the right things," Manning said. "He didn't make it an issue. He didn't say he should have been out there. I'm sure he wanted to be out there, but he still stayed professional. And in everything he said, he made it easier on me and didn't add more pressure to me."
While Manning came to respect Warner on the field and in the meeting rooms, wide receiver Amani Toomer grew fond of him far away from the stadium.
In February, the soon-to-be-ex-teammates traveled together to Indonesia to help provide relief to the tsunami-ravaged region. It was then -- after the two had connected for the final time on the field -- that they made another type of connection.
"I got a chance to meet him on another level besides playing on this team, and he's a great guy," Toomer said. "I know a lot of people say that, but as you get to know him, he's a lot different than people perceive."
Toomer said he hasn't spoken to Warner, but expects to sometime this week. He has kept an eye on Warner's new team, though, and thinks the 34-year-old will be successful with the Cardinals.
"I think it's a good fit. He wants to be the No. 1 quarterback and that's the place where he can do that," Toomer said. "He has some talent around him, too. That's an organization that's really trying to make some strides by hiring (coach) Denny Green (last year). And with Kurt, they have a guy who can put people in the stands and points on the board."
Sunday's season opener will be a reunion for Warner and some of his former teammates. But there will be others on the Giants defense who are used to playing against him.
Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, who defended two of Warner's passes in Week 2 last year while with the Redskins, said Washington knew they could force Warner to turn the ball over.
"We kind of knew what to expect, especially from the standpoint of him not wanting to get hit and holding that ball long," Pierce said. "We made a big emphasis that week to get to him, try to knock that ball away from him and try to create some turnovers. No quarterback wants to get hit. But he's a little more timid when it comes to getting hit with that ball."
Pierce knows Warner's weaknesses, but like Manning and Toomer, he has a lot of respect for him.
"The one thing about Kurt Warner is he's a competitor and a good player," Pierce said. "And once he's hot, he's hot. If you give him the time to hold the ball, he's going to hurt you with his accuracy and his ability to read defenses."
Notes: The Giants claimed tight end Sean Berton off waivers from the Vikings yesterday and released tight end Chris Luzar. Berton started seven games for Minnesota last year in the team's blocking H-back role. The 6-4, 263-pound Berton is in his third season....
The Giants announced their eight-man practice squad: LB T.J. Hollowell, DT Jonas Seawright, WR Michael Jennings, CB Kevin Timothee, OTs Lewis Kelly and Myniya Smith and RBs and Mike Jemison and Ryan Grant, who played at Don Bosco Prep. Timothee is the only player who was not with the Giants in training camp. He signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent in April.
http://www.nj.com/giants/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/112589954754420.xml&coll=1
© 2005 The Star Ledger
Monday, September 05, 2005
BY MIKE GARAFOLO
Star-Ledger Staff
When Kurt Warner walked out of the Giants' locker room on Jan. 3, everyone knew he wouldn't be coming back. Everyone including Eli Manning.
So a few weeks later, Manning sent Warner a "nice collared shirt" along with a note of gratitude for his assistance during a one-year stop in East Rutherford.
"I knew he was leaving and I wanted to thank him for helping me out," Manning said of Warner, who returns to Giants Stadium on Sunday with his new team, the Arizona Cardinals. "With the situation the way it was, different people could have acted in different ways. But he stayed very professional, stuck behind me and helped me when I was struggling."
The situation went like this: On draft day last April, the Giants traded for Manning -- the No. 1 overall pick. Realizing rookie quarterbacks need time to adjust to the NFL and wanting to field the most competitive team possible, the Giants struck a deal with Warner in June shortly after he was released.
It was a two-year contract, but because both parties had the option of voiding it after 2004, Warner knew he would be a Giant for only one season.
During that time, he would teach Manning by pushing him for the starting job. Warner, meanwhile, would have a chance to prove to the league that he was the same quarterback who led the Rams to a pair of Super Bowls.
"Even last year, we never had cell phone numbers for each other," Manning said of their relationship. "But when we were here, we got along well, we watched film together and we talked."
Warner won the training-camp battle to be the starter and led the Giants to a surprising 4-1 record heading into the bye week. That left the team with a dilemma: abandon a solid chance for the playoffs or have Manning sit for an entire season.
Three losses in the next four games were a good-enough excuse to make the change. The playoffs were still within reach -- especially in the weak NFC -- but Warner found himself watching the team's future while his became cloudy.
But he didn't complain once.
"He remained supportive and in talking to the media, he said all the right things," Manning said. "He didn't make it an issue. He didn't say he should have been out there. I'm sure he wanted to be out there, but he still stayed professional. And in everything he said, he made it easier on me and didn't add more pressure to me."
While Manning came to respect Warner on the field and in the meeting rooms, wide receiver Amani Toomer grew fond of him far away from the stadium.
In February, the soon-to-be-ex-teammates traveled together to Indonesia to help provide relief to the tsunami-ravaged region. It was then -- after the two had connected for the final time on the field -- that they made another type of connection.
"I got a chance to meet him on another level besides playing on this team, and he's a great guy," Toomer said. "I know a lot of people say that, but as you get to know him, he's a lot different than people perceive."
Toomer said he hasn't spoken to Warner, but expects to sometime this week. He has kept an eye on Warner's new team, though, and thinks the 34-year-old will be successful with the Cardinals.
"I think it's a good fit. He wants to be the No. 1 quarterback and that's the place where he can do that," Toomer said. "He has some talent around him, too. That's an organization that's really trying to make some strides by hiring (coach) Denny Green (last year). And with Kurt, they have a guy who can put people in the stands and points on the board."
Sunday's season opener will be a reunion for Warner and some of his former teammates. But there will be others on the Giants defense who are used to playing against him.
Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, who defended two of Warner's passes in Week 2 last year while with the Redskins, said Washington knew they could force Warner to turn the ball over.
"We kind of knew what to expect, especially from the standpoint of him not wanting to get hit and holding that ball long," Pierce said. "We made a big emphasis that week to get to him, try to knock that ball away from him and try to create some turnovers. No quarterback wants to get hit. But he's a little more timid when it comes to getting hit with that ball."
Pierce knows Warner's weaknesses, but like Manning and Toomer, he has a lot of respect for him.
"The one thing about Kurt Warner is he's a competitor and a good player," Pierce said. "And once he's hot, he's hot. If you give him the time to hold the ball, he's going to hurt you with his accuracy and his ability to read defenses."
Notes: The Giants claimed tight end Sean Berton off waivers from the Vikings yesterday and released tight end Chris Luzar. Berton started seven games for Minnesota last year in the team's blocking H-back role. The 6-4, 263-pound Berton is in his third season....
The Giants announced their eight-man practice squad: LB T.J. Hollowell, DT Jonas Seawright, WR Michael Jennings, CB Kevin Timothee, OTs Lewis Kelly and Myniya Smith and RBs and Mike Jemison and Ryan Grant, who played at Don Bosco Prep. Timothee is the only player who was not with the Giants in training camp. He signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent in April.
http://www.nj.com/giants/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/112589954754420.xml&coll=1
© 2005 The Star Ledger
