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8. Kurt Warner
Born on June 22, 1971, in Burlington, Iowa, Kurt Warner has one of the most improbable rags-to-riches stories in the sports world. In 1995, Warner was asked to play for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League, where his accuracy and his strong arm set a host of league passing records. Eventually and as was expected, he caught the attention of the St. Louis Rams, which sent him overseas to play in the NFL’s European league.
He catapulted to stardom in 1999 during his second full year in the NFL when he drove the Rams offense to a Super Bowl victory, collecting MVP honors along the way. Over the next several seasons, Warner, who signed a four-year contract in 2000 for more than $46 million, proved his worth, with more yardage and more touchdowns than ever.