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Looking to repeat Warner ready to relax, saddle up for next season
Posted: Monday February 07, 2000 02:51 PM
ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- Rest was priority No. 1 for Kurt Warner the day after the Super Bowl. The sixth player in league history to win both the regular-season and Super Bowl MVP awards didn't sleep much after Sunday night's stirring 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans. "Not a wink," Warner said Monday. "It was all right. I've got plenty of time to catch up before minicamp starts." Warner said that after the celebration, visits with his family and a talk with backup quarterback Paul Justin -- his roommate -- there just wasn't time. There also was the lasting euphoria from his Super Bowl-record 414-yard passing game and the 73-yard game-winning strike to Isaac Bruce with 1:54 to play. "I will remember last night for the rest of my life," commissioner Paul Tagliabue told Warner. Warner said he hoped to top it. How? "Do the same thing, get another ring," Warner said. "I don't know if there is any other way to do it better than we did it this year, than to be able to repeat next year." There's no doubt in Warner's mind that the Rams, who improved from 4-12 to 16-3 in one season, can do it. Cornerback Todd Lyght, who can be an unrestricted free agent, is the only major player not under contract for next season. Warner, who played for the league minimum of $254,000 this year, said he hoped to persuade Lyght and the other potential free agents not to look so much at the bottom line. He's got some perspective. Six years ago he was working for $5.50 an hour stocking grocery store shelves at the Hy-Vee in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His future wife, Brenda, was on food stamps. "Other things are more important to me, and hopefully that can rub off with some of the other guys," Warner said. "We have got a lot of great character on this team and can really look beyond that." Coach Dick Vermeil thinks Warner, who had 41 touchdown passes and led the NFL in passer rating and completion percentage in his first season as a starter, can get better. On Monday, the coach mentioned that Warner strayed from fundamentals as the season wore on and had a number of passes batted down. "I could see signs of him disintegrating a little bit because you only have so many hours on the field," Vermeil said. "I think we can change our approach a little bit." Of course, Vermeil also sees Warner as the ultimate success story. "It is not a fairy tale, it is real life," Vermeil said after the game. "He is a great example of persistence and believing in himself and a deep faith. He is a movie; he is a book, this guy." This week figures to be a lot more laid-back for Warner, even if he and seven teammates are heading for the Pro Bowl on Sunday. Bruce, running back Marshall Faulk, tackle Orlando Pace and guard Adam Timmerman are the other offensive players making the trip for the game in Honolulu. The defense will be represented by end Kevin Carter, cornerback Todd Lyght and tackle D'Marco Farr. "Obviously, we've got another football game to play," Warner said. "But I hear it's a more relaxed atmosphere."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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