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Curt Warner
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Curtis Edward Warner (born March 18, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). A two-time All-American playing college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, Warner was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft. Warner was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on December 8, 2009.[1][2][3]
Key Information
Warner was the 1983 AFC Offensive Player of the Year in his rookie NFL season.
Penn State
[edit]Warner was a standout at Pineville High School in Pineville, West Virginia, graduating in a class of only 90 students. At Pennsylvania State University, he led the Nittany Lions in rushing in 1980, 1981, and 1982, and helped them capture their first national championship in the 1983 Sugar Bowl.[4] When his collegiate career was over, he owned 42 Penn State records (his 3,398 career rushing yards is 3rd in school history, and his 18 100-yard rushing games remains a Penn State record). On October 30, 2010, Evan Royster surpassed Warner to take over the career rushing yards record.[4] He was named an All-American twice, in 1981 and 1982.
Warner earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from Penn State in 1983.
Statistics
[edit]| Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YEAR | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | NO. | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
| 1979 | 84 | 391 | 4.7 | 21 | 2 | 10 | 129 | 12.9 | 62 | 1 |
| 1980 | 196 | 922 | 4.7 | 53 | 6 | 13 | 92 | 7.1 | 35 | 0 |
| 1981 | 171 | 1,044 | 6.1 | 69 | 8 | 9 | 106 | 11.8 | 26 | 0 |
| 1982 | 198 | 1,041 | 5.3 | 46 | 8 | 24 | 335 | 14.0 | 69 | 5 |
| Totals | 649 | 3,398 | 5.2 | 69 | 24 | 56 | 662 | 11.8 | 69 | 6cap |
Professional career
[edit]Warner was the third overall pick of the 1983 NFL draft, selected by the Seattle Seahawks. He followed future hall of famers John Elway and Eric Dickerson.
Warner led the AFC in rushing yards his rookie season in 1983, helping Seattle to its first Conference Championship game. He became the first Seahawk to rush for at least 1,000 yards in their rookie season, followed 39 years later by Kenneth Walker III. The Seahawks lost to the Los Angeles Raiders in that season, who went on to become the league champion. The following year, Warner suffered a torn ACL in the 1984 season opener against Cleveland and was sidelined for the rest of the year. He came back in the 1985 season and had a number of successful seasons before ending his career with the Los Angeles Rams.
Warner is a three-time Pro Bowler (1983, 1986, 1987), and was inducted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor in 1994.[4]
NFL career statistics
[edit]| Legend | |
|---|---|
| UPI AFC Offensive Player of the Year | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
[edit]| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | FR | ||
| 1983 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 335 | 1,449 | 4.3 | 90.6 | 60 | 13 | 42 | 325 | 7.7 | 28 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 1984 | SEA | 1 | 1 | 10 | 40 | 4.0 | 40.0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 291 | 1,094 | 3.8 | 68.4 | 38 | 8 | 47 | 307 | 6.5 | 27 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
| 1986 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 319 | 1,481 | 4.6 | 92.6 | 60 | 13 | 41 | 342 | 8.3 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
| 1987 | SEA | 12 | 12 | 234 | 985 | 4.2 | 82.1 | 57 | 8 | 17 | 167 | 9.8 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 1988 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 266 | 1,025 | 3.9 | 64.1 | 29 | 10 | 22 | 154 | 7.0 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 1989 | SEA | 16 | 15 | 194 | 631 | 3.3 | 39.4 | 34 | 3 | 23 | 153 | 6.7 | 24 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| 1990 | LARams | 7 | 2 | 49 | 139 | 2.8 | 19.9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 100 | 94 | 1,698 | 6,844 | 4.0 | 68.4 | 60 | 56 | 193 | 1,467 | 7.6 | 30 | 7 | 37 | 13 | |
After football
[edit]Warner owned Curt Warner Chevrolet, an automobile dealership in Vancouver, Washington from 1999 until 2010.[6] He is the current running backs coach at Camas High School in Camas, Washington and founder and president of the Curt Warner Autism Foundation.[4]
Warner and his wife Ana have three sons, Jonathan, twins Austin and Christian, and a daughter, Isabella.[7]
In 2018, Little A published The Warner Boys: Our Family's Story of Autism and Hope, written by Curt Warner and Ana Warner with Dave Boling. The book explores Warner's family life, including how it has been impacted by having twin boys (Austin and Christian) severely impacted by autism.
References
[edit]- ^ Rittenberg, Adam (April 30, 2009). "Station, Spielman and Warner enter Hall". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009.
- ^ "Curt Warner". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ Staats, Wayne (December 9, 2009). "RB Warner inducted into Hall of Fame". The Daily Collegian. Archived from the original on December 11, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Curt Warner Elected to College Football Hall of Fame". Penn State Sports Information. April 30, 2009. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ^ "Curt Warner College Stats".
- ^ "Curt Warner to sell Vancouver dealership". The Columbian. July 15, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ Flounders, Bob (December 7, 2009). "Curt Warner, an all-time Penn State great, set to join Hall of Fame". The Patriot-News.
External links
[edit]Curt Warner
View on GrokipediaEarly life
High school career
Curt Warner was born on March 18, 1961, in Wyoming, West Virginia, and grew up in the nearby small town of Pineville.[1][8] Warner attended Pineville High School, where he graduated in a class of only 90 students.[9] As a multi-sport athlete, he earned first-team all-state honors in football, basketball, and baseball, becoming the first individual in West Virginia high school history to achieve that distinction across those sports.[10] In football, Warner was a standout running back who led his team in rushing; during his senior year, he amassed 2,532 rushing yards and scored 48 touchdowns, earning local recognition as one of the top athletes in the region despite the school's rural and limited-exposure setting.[11] His raw talent drew initial recruitment interest from major college programs, including Penn State, where a volunteer recruiter scouted him in 1977 and helped secure his commitment as part of the 1979 recruiting class.[8][12] This opportunity marked a significant transition to a higher level of competition at the collegiate level.College career at Penn State
Curt Warner joined Pennsylvania State University in 1979 as part of a standout recruiting class that laid the foundation for the Nittany Lions' success in the early 1980s, building on his high school achievements in West Virginia. Under head coach Joe Paterno, Warner developed rapidly as a tailback, transitioning from a freshman contributor to the team's primary rushing threat. By his sophomore year in 1980, he had assumed the role of leading rusher, a position he held through his senior season in 1982, showcasing his speed, vision, and durability on the field.[12] Warner earned first-team All-American recognition in both 1981 and 1982 for his consistent excellence, highlighted by back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons that anchored Penn State's ground attack. In 1982, his senior year, he amassed 1,041 rushing yards on 198 carries while scoring eight touchdowns, providing critical balance to an offense led by quarterback Todd Blackledge. His contributions were instrumental in guiding the Nittany Lions to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the 1983 Sugar Bowl, where Penn State defeated Georgia 27-23 to claim its first national championship; Warner scored on a 2-yard run early in that game, setting the tone for the victory.[11][9][13][14] Warner appeared in four bowl games overall, including the 1980 and 1982 Fiesta Bowls, where he was named the most outstanding offensive player both times. Throughout his career, Warner established several Penn State records, most notably with 18 games surpassing 100 rushing yards—a benchmark that remains unmatched in program history—and he concluded his tenure owning 42 school records in rushing and all-purpose categories. Academically, he balanced his athletic demands by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication in 1983, reflecting Paterno's emphasis on scholarly achievement alongside athletic prowess.[9][2]Professional career
Seattle Seahawks
Curt Warner was selected by the Seattle Seahawks as the third overall pick in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft, following a standout college career at Penn State that highlighted his potential as a premier running back.[1][4] In his rookie season, Warner quickly established himself as a cornerstone of the Seahawks' offense, rushing for 1,449 yards and 13 touchdowns while earning AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and the AFC Offensive Player of the Year award from the United Press International (UPI).[1][15] His performance propelled the Seahawks to their first playoff appearance, where he contributed significantly in a divisional victory over the Miami Dolphins.[16] Warner's promising start was interrupted by a severe knee injury in the 1984 season opener, a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that required surgery and sidelined him for the entire year.[17][4] He demonstrated remarkable resilience in his recovery, returning in 1985 to rush for 1,094 yards, earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors from Sports Illustrated, and reasserting his role as the team's primary running back.[4] This comeback paved the way for additional accolades, including Pro Bowl selections in 1986 and 1987, bringing his total to three.[1] Throughout his tenure with Seattle from 1983 to 1989, Warner served as the featured back in an offense featuring quarterbacks Jim Zorn and Dave Krieg, forming a dynamic duo that powered key victories, such as a 1986 game where Warner's 192 rushing yards complemented Krieg's passing.[18] In 1987, he finished third in the NFL in rushing with 985 yards and eight touchdowns, helping lead the Seahawks back to the playoffs for a wild-card berth despite an overtime loss to the Houston Oilers.[1] Warner's contributions were supported by a series of contracts that reflected his value to the franchise; by 1990, he was slated for a $1.1 million salary before becoming a free agent.[19]Los Angeles Rams
After concluding his tenure with the Seattle Seahawks following the 1989 season, Curt Warner signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Los Angeles Rams as a Plan B free agent on March 31, 1990.[20][21] The move came amid ongoing concerns about his health, stemming from a severe right knee injury in 1984 that had already sidelined him for an entire season and required multiple surgeries.[22] Warner entered the 1990 season hoping to secure a starting role, but persistent knee issues limited him to a backup position and restricted his participation.[22] He appeared in seven games, starting two, and recorded 139 rushing yards on 49 carries with one touchdown.[1] Over the course of his career, Warner underwent six operations—two on his right knee and others on his ankles—exacerbating mobility problems and diminishing his once-elite speed and durability as a running back.[22] The Rams waived Warner on November 7, 1990, after he managed just 25 yards on 11 carries in his final five games.[21] At age 29, he chose retirement shortly thereafter, citing the cumulative physical toll of NFL play and the unrelenting pain from his injuries as key factors that curtailed his later career and prevented a prolonged return to form.[22] This abrupt end underscored how the 1984 knee injury and subsequent complications had progressively eroded his productivity, transitioning him from a Pro Bowl talent to a short-lived comeback attempt.[22]Career statistics
College statistics
Curt Warner amassed 3,398 rushing yards on 649 carries during his four seasons at Penn State from 1979 to 1982, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scoring 24 rushing touchdowns.[23] These figures placed him third on the program's all-time rushing list at the time of his graduation and fourth as of November 2025, behind Evan Royster (3,932 yards), Saquon Barkley (3,843 yards), and Kaytron Allen (3,794 yards).[23][24] His performance varied by season, with Warner serving as a reserve in his freshman year before emerging as the Nittany Lions' lead rusher from 1980 onward. The following table summarizes his rushing statistics by year:| Year | Attempts | Yards | Yards per Carry | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 84 | 391 | 4.7 | 2 |
| 1980 | 196 | 922 | 4.7 | 6 |
| 1981 | 171 | 1,044 | 6.1 | 8 |
| 1982 | 198 | 1,041 | 5.3 | 8 |
| Career | 649 | 3,398 | 5.2 | 24 |
NFL regular season
Curt Warner's NFL regular-season career spanned eight seasons from 1983 to 1990, during which he appeared in 100 games, accumulating 6,844 rushing yards on 1,698 attempts with 56 rushing touchdowns, alongside 1,467 receiving yards on 193 receptions and 7 receiving touchdowns.[1] His performance demonstrated versatility as a running back capable of contributing both on the ground and through the passing game, though injuries significantly disrupted his output in certain years.[1] Overall, Warner averaged 4.0 yards per carry and maintained a consistent role in his teams' offenses when healthy, ranking among the league's top rushers in his peak periods.[1] The following table summarizes Warner's regular-season statistics year by year:| Year | Team | Games | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | SEA | 16 | 335 | 1,449 | 13 | 42 | 325 |
| 1984 | SEA | 1 | 10 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 19 |
| 1985 | SEA | 16 | 291 | 1,094 | 8 | 47 | 307 |
| 1986 | SEA | 16 | 319 | 1,481 | 13 | 41 | 342 |
| 1987 | SEA | 12 | 234 | 985 | 8 | 17 | 167 |
| 1988 | SEA | 16 | 266 | 1,025 | 10 | 22 | 154 |
| 1989 | SEA | 16 | 194 | 631 | 3 | 23 | 153 |
| 1990 | RAM | 7 | 49 | 139 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | - | 100 | 1,698 | 6,844 | 56 | 193 | 1,467 |
NFL postseason
Curt Warner participated in the NFL postseason with the Seattle Seahawks in 1983 and 1988, appearing in a total of four games. His rookie year marked the team's first playoff run, while injuries significantly impacted his availability in subsequent opportunities; a torn ACL sidelined him for the entire 1984 season, preventing any postseason play that year, and a severe ankle sprain in the final regular-season game of 1987 caused him to miss Seattle's divisional playoff victory over the Houston Oilers.[17] In the 1983 postseason, Warner showcased his rushing prowess during Seattle's run to the AFC Championship. He started all three games, amassing 238 rushing yards on 63 carries with two touchdowns, while also contributing 10 receptions for 60 yards. His efforts helped the Seahawks secure upset wins in the wild card and divisional rounds before falling short in the conference title game.[29][30]| Date | Opponent | Result | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24, 1983 | Denver Broncos (Wild Card) | W 31–7 | 23 | 99 | 0 | 3 | 22 |
| Dec 31, 1983 | at Miami Dolphins (Divisional) | W 27–20 | 25 | 113 | 2 | 5 | 38 |
| Jan 8, 1984 | at Los Angeles Raiders (AFC Championship) | L 14–30 | 15 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
