GO FOR 2

Those of you who have watched Kurt Warner over the years know that he is an absolute warrior who plays with heart and soul, and he’s a class act no matter what. Well today I learned what a lot of Warner’s friends and teammates probably know, he’s also a guy who isn’t afraid to speak his mind.

Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin has been in the middle of a contract dispute ever since his teammate Larry Fitzgerald signed a 4 year $40 million dollar extension. The Cardinals didn’t give Boldin, who has been in Arizona longer than Fitz, a similar offer – and Boldin never got over it. When Kurt Warner was negotiating a new contract this offseason, he made it no secret that he wanted the Cardinals to get Boldin back in red next season. Warner has also said that he believes Boldin is an integral part of the Card’s success and he deserves a new contract.

Well today on Jim Rome is Burning, Warner was the guest, and when Rome asked him questions about Boldin point blank, Warner spoke very frankly with no hesitation…it went something like this:

Rome: Do you believe Boldin has outperformed his contract, and should the organization take care of him?

Warner: Yes and yes. He’s been a big part of this organization’s success, he’s been here since they were coming of age and he’s helped guys grow on the field, and he’s been a leader in the locker room. He deserves to be taken care of, and hopefully the organization is in a place where they can get that done, because it should get done.

I know that Warner supporting Boldin isn’t anything new, but to be so open about the fact that he disagrees with the Cardinal’s handling of the situation is a bit surprising. There was no political answer here, no “well, both sides are in a hard spot” kind of talk. Warner just spoke his mind with absolutely zero hesitation. Maybe that decisiveness is why he has been such a great player throughout his career – but I guarantee it’s why he has been such a great teammate and leader.