Part-time NFL analyst Kurt Warner amassed 32,344-yards passing, 208 touchdowns, 67 wins, three NFL MVP awards, one Super Bowl MVP award and one Lombardi Trophy during a 12-year NFL career, so if there's anyone qualified to comment on what a young quarterback must do in order to be successful at the professional level, it's Warner, the man who clawed his way from the Arena League to undrafted free agency to Super Bowl champion.
Warner, speaking recently to Chris McPherson of PhiladelphiaEagles.com, said that he's ready to see what newly-acquired Eagles signal-caller Sam Bradford can do behind one of the league's best offensive lines and surrounded by a bevy of young weapons, especially after watching him struggle mightily through five injury-riddled and ineffective seasons in St. Louis.
"I love Sam", Warner said to McPherson, via GaryCobb.com. "Great young man. A guy that I believe who wants to be great. I believe he's got the tools to be great."
"I think the biggest thing that I have seen with Sam in his short career is that I want to see him get the confidence back that he believes he can make every throw on the football field. I think there was a time in St. Louis where he got to the point where he was more afraid to make a mistake than to make a play. He managed games instead of playing up to his potential. I believe if he plays up to his potential he can be a really good quarterback in the National Football League."
Bradford, still just 27 years old, suffered through an abysmal early NFL career, including two ACL tears and many more downs than ups, after being selected first-overall by the Rams in the 2010 NFL Draft and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
In his half-decade in St. Louis, Bradford put together career stats of 11,065-yards passing, 59 touchdowns and 38 interceptions for a 79.3 quarterback rating. He missed the entirety of last season after tearing the ACL in his knee during a preseason game.
Per Warner, those trying times have molded Bradford into the fear-filled checkdown machine you see now, but there is hope for Eagles fans, as Warner believes it's not an irreversible situation.
"I just think that after maybe a lot of hits early in his career. Lack of success early in the career has maybe led to this," Warner said, per Cobb. "That's next step for him is to get back to the confidence level, to throw caution to the wind and go back to playing the way you played in college and the way you played in your rookie year. I think there's a huge upside for him."
Playing behind Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson will certainly aid Bradford, as will performing alongside former college teammate and last season's leading rusher in the NFL DeMarco Murray, but it remains up to Bradford to deliver on the promise that made him the one-time first-overall pick in the draft.
If he can, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly will suddenly look like a very intelligent man and Bradford will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Philadelphia sports fans.
