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Previous Martz project Warner meets new oneThe Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.07.2008
SAN FRANCISCO — Although Kurt Warner credits Mike Martz for many of his lofty achievements, the Arizona quarterback knows his ex-coach's new project might feel about 2 feet tall heading into his first NFL start.
J.T. O'Sullivan, the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback in Sunday's season opener against Warner's Cardinals, was a low-round draft pick out of UC-Davis who bounced through nine stints with eight NFL teams over the last seven years, not counting two trips to NFL Europe.
It's much the same path once walked by Warner, who famously played in the Arena Football League and Europe when he wasn't stocking supermarket shelves. Warner's life changed when he caught on with the St. Louis Rams in 1998 as a 27-year-old rookie backup.
But he quickly learned life isn't great for a newcomer trying to get inside Martz's big brain.
"I was the whipping boy that you hear about," Warner said, confirming every story about Martz's rough treatment of newbies.
O'Sullivan and Warner both did the unexpected last month by beating out a recent high-first-round draft choice to get the opening-day start. O'Sullivan outplayed Alex Smith, the beleaguered former No. 1 overall pick, while Warner got the nod over Matt Leinart, the underachieving former USC star.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt made the unorthodox choice to delay Leinart's development. The Cardinals have just one winning season in 23 years, but can smell playoff contention in a weak division after going 8-8 last year.
"This organization hasn't won enough games where we can patiently wait on any position," Whisenhunt said. "We want to win games now, and that is what everything is geared towards."
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