It’s not every day a father gets to watch their son make their NFL debut – let alone watch their son make their NFL debut in the same stadium the father played a Super Bowl in nearly 14 years ago. On Friday (August 11), Kurt Warner got to live out that dream when his son took to an NFL field for the first time.
His son, Kade Warner, was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent after going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. The team played its first preseason game on Friday – a home game in Raymond James Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers – and Kade’s Hall of Fame father had a front-row seat.
It brought back some memories for Kurt Warner, who was a starting QB for the Arizona Cardinals when they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII – which was played in, you guessed it, Raymond James Stadium. 14 years later, his son is playing in the same stadium and against the same team.
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Unlike his father, who made a career out of throwing the football, Kade Warner specializes in catching the ball – and that’s exactly what he did on Friday night. With the Bucs backed up in their own territory and just six minutes left in the game, he caught a 10-yard pass for a first down – the first catch of his career.
So as a UNITED STATES MARINE, my son running into a NFL game with the UNITED STATES FLAG….I am proud beyond words. @KadeWarner @Buccaneers #USA pic.twitter.com/ZDRIIbb91Z
— Brenda Warner (@WarnerBrenda) August 11, 2023
While it won’t count as an official catch (since it happened in a preseason game), it’s a milestone both Kade and Kurt will remember forever – regardless of what happens next in Kade’s career. And while he still has a long way to go before earning a spot on the 53-man roster, it’s a step in the right direction.
“Last SB I played in vs @steelers in @Buccaneers stadium… today my son plays his 1st game for the Bucs Vs Steelers in that same stadium!!! You can’t make this stuff up… & I never thought I’d cheer for TB, how quickly things change! #ProudPapa,” Kurt wrote in a tweet that captured the precious moment.
14yrs ago @kurt13warner lost SB and @KadeWarner cried in the stands(we promised kids a puppy if Dad won) Now @kurt13warner tears up as @KadeWarner makes debut @Buccaneers first preseason game. Wow life is beautifully weird and weirdly beautiful. #gokade pic.twitter.com/7FcleX5lVy
— Brenda Warner (@WarnerBrenda) August 11, 2023
Kade’s mother, Brenda Warner, also took to Twitter to share the exciting moment. “14yrs ago [Kurt] lost SB and [Kade] cried in the stands(we promised kids a puppy if Dad won) Now [Kurt] tears up as [Kade] makes debut @Buccaneers first preseason game. Wow life is beautifully weird and weirdly beautiful.”
Kade Warner played three years of college football at Nebraska before finishing out his college career at Kansas State – where he had 60 catches for 622 yards and 5 touchdowns between 2021 and 2022. All five of those touchdowns came during the 2022 season and four of them came in a three-week span.
Kurt Warner Has One Other Son Who Plays Football
This might not be the first time Kurt Warner gets to watch his son take to an NFL field. While we hope his son, Kade, gets plenty more opportunity as a wide receiver in the NFL, Kurt also has another son who could make his debut within the next few years – his son, E.J., is a quarterback at Temple University.
Single Digit TUFF: @elijah13warner #TempleTUFF pic.twitter.com/zv1fWLG89x
— Temple Football (@Temple_FB) August 15, 2023
E.J. Warner made his collegiate debut as a true freshman on September 10, 2022 after their starting quarterback, D’Wan Mathis, failed to perform well. E.J. went on to play in 11 games (10 starts) last season and was named ACC Rookie of the Year with 3,028 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Temple QB E.J. Warner vs ECU
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) November 26, 2022
• 527 Passing yards 5 TDs pic.twitter.com/ZPsnX4LUov
In the final game of the season, Warner set school single-game records with 45 pass completions, 63 pass attempts, and 527 yards passing – breaking his previous record of 486 yards. He also finished the season with the second-most passing yards (3,028) by a quarterback in Temple University history.
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Kade and E.J. have some pretty big shoes to fill – their father, Kurt Warner, is a two-time MVP and former Super Bowl champion who threw for 208 touchdowns en route to a Hall of Fame induction in 2017. Regardless, they have a father who wants nothing but the best for them and will continue to support them.