Warner goes down flinging
TAMPA, Fla. — Kurt Warner and his ageless arm painted a fourth-quarter masterpiece. It just wasn't quite enough.
The Arizona Cardinals' improbable playoff run ended with Santonio Holmes' tiptoe catch in the end zone with 35 seconds to play and a 27-23 Super Bowl triumph for Pittsburgh.
Warner went down flinging, though, completing 14 of 19 passes in the frenzied final 15 minutes for 224 yards.
"I am just really disappointed for him that we didn't get this win," coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
Warner was deprived of one last heave to the end zone. He went back to throw from the Steelers 44 and was hit. The ball came loose for what officials said was a fumble that Pittsburgh recovered with 5 seconds remaining. Officials did not review the play.
"I was surprised they didn't," Warner said. "I really felt like my arm was moving forward. ... I would have thought they would have at least taken a look at it."
Warner has been in three Super Bowls, and all of them went down to the wire, the first with a victory for St. Louis over Tennessee in the 1999 season, the second with a last-second loss for the Rams against New England in 2001.
And now this one.
"I have been fortunate to be a part of three great Super Bowls," Warner said. "I am definitely proud of it. Would I have liked to win more than one? Of course, but I am proud that I have been able to come to these games and be part of some of the greatest Super Bowls ever."
He knew that just putting up this kind of fight was a moment to be savored for a franchise long the cellar-dwelling laughingstock of the NFL.
"I'm so proud of this football team. I think that's probably one of the reasons it doesn't hurt as much as it could have," he said, "because these guys exceeded expectations, they were so fun to play with. I can't say enough about the season that we had."
Now he is a free agent. The 37-year-old quarterback's contract with the Cardinals expired when the season ended. The Cardinals say they want him back and say he wants to be back.
But in the aftermath of his third Super Bowl, Warner was noncommittal.
"I don't know if I'm going to play next year," he said. "I haven't thought about that. I'm going to enjoy what we just accomplished as a football team. I'm going to enjoy this year. I'm going to enjoy this great game that we just played in. And I'm going to take some time away from the game and then I'll make that decision."
Warner completed 31 of 43 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns, with one historically costly interception. play
