JUMP TO:
- Kurt Warner wife: Brenda Warner
- Kurt Warner son: Elijah 'E.J.' Warner
- Kurt Warner son: Kade Warner
- Kurt Warner son: Zachary Taylor Warner
- Kurt Warner daughters
- Kurt Warner mom: Sue Warner
- Kurt Warner dad: Gene Warner
- Kurt Warner brothers: Matt Warner and Matt Post
- Where is Kurt Warner from?
From going undrafted in 1994 to winning Super Bowl MVP in 2000, Kurt Warner has one of the most improbable stories in professional sports history.
Warner's against-all-odds journey led to an 11-year Hall of Fame career in the NFL that included three Super Bowl appearances. And his story was special enough to get documented in a biographical film titled "American Underdog."
Decades after taking his final NFL snap, Warner's legacy lives on through the media and the next generation of Warners who have followed his footsteps in a variety of ways.
Learn more about Warner's life and legacy, including two sons who have made names for themselves on the football field.
MORE: Complete list of Super Bowl MVP winners through the years
Kurt Warner wife: Brenda Warner
Kurt met his wife, Brenda, at a country bar in Iowa. Warner was in college at the time.
The couple wed on Oct. 11, 1997, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Brenda is a former United States Marine Corps corporal and was previously married before meeting Kurt. She received a hardship discharge from the Marines after her oldest child was left disabled after an accident as an infant.
Brenda's parents were killed when their home was destroyed by a tornado in Arkansas in 1996. She and Kurt were wed at the same church where her parents' service was held.
She is heavily into the arts and is known for her unique hairstyles. Her passion for metal art led to her founding MetalArt By B, and the business' proceeds benefit Treasure House Arizona.
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Kurt Warner son: Elijah 'E.J.' Warner
E.J. is the younger of two sons born to Kurt and Brenda.
He grew up in the Phoenix area during his dad's time as the Cardinals' quarterback and followed in his footsteps. E.J., a member of the high school class of 2022, elected to begin his college career at Temple University.
After two years at Temple, E.J. transferred to Rice, where he spent one season as the starter. After his second transfer, E.J. elected to head back west, committing to Fresno State for his senior season.
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Kurt Warner son: Kade Warner
Kade is the oldest son born to both Kurt and his wife, Brenda.
Kade was born in St. Louis on Sept. 29, 1998, during his dad's first season with the Rams. He graduated from high school in the Phoenix area and set numerous records as a wide receiver. He chose to attend Nebraska and walk on to the Cornhuskers football team.
He spent three seasons at Nebraska before transferring to Kansas State in 2021. He was granted an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and scored all five of his collegiate touchdowns as a fifth-year senior in 2022.
Kade went undrafted in 2023 but spent training camp with the Buccaneers before playing for the XFL's Houston Roughnecks and the UFL's San Antonio Brahmas. He is now the offensive coordinator for Division II Quincy College in Quincy, Ill.
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Kurt Warner son: Zachary Taylor Warner
Zack is one of two children born during Brenda's first marriage. After marrying Brenda, Kurt adopted Zack.
Born in 1990, Zachary suffered a traumatic injury as an infant. Brenda's first husband accidentally dropped Zack as a child, causing brain damage and full blindness.
In 2016, Kurt and Brenda opened Treasure House, a Christian-based residential home for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Zack was the first resident.
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Kurt Warner daughters
Jada Warner
Born in 2001, Jada is the oldest of three daughters born to Kurt and Brenda.
She graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts in 2024 and is an actress, singer-songwriter and digital creator with over 200,000 TikTok followers.
Sierra Rose & Sienna Rae Warner
Kurt and Brenda also have twin daughters: Sienna Rae and Sierra Rose, born on Dec. 19, 2005.
Sierra enrolled at Arizona State University in 2024 and has a passion for competitive horse riding. Sienna's passions lie in the artistic realm, as she has experience in graphic design, phogography and other methods of visual art. She attends the University of Iowa.
Jesse Jo Stanton
Jesse Jo is the younger of two children born to Brenda's first marriage and later adopted by Kurt.
She was born in 1992 and famously wrote a note to Kurt that was featured in his playbook ahead of Arizona's appearance in Super Bowl 43. She is now married to Daniel Stanton, and they have children together.
Jesse Jo owns Freja Creative, a business that offers custom stationery, wedding and event signage, and calligraphy.
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Kurt Warner mom: Sue Warner
Sue is Kurt's mom.
Kurt's parents divorced early in his life, placing more responsibilities on Sue as she raised two boys. During his Hall of Fame speech, Kurt credited his mom with keeping him from quitting football at the University of Northern Iowa, recalling his childhood years with her.
"She gratefully worked three jobs, sacrificing so my brother and I could have more — all while enduring things no person signs up for. She consistently demonstrated hard work, commitment to responsibilities, and how even when life doesn't give you what you want, you never stop believing."
Kurt Warner dad: Gene Warner
While his parents divorced, Kurt's dad, Gene, remained an active part in the lives of his two boys.
Kurt has said he and his dad have "an unbelievable relationship," though it was not documented in depth during the biopic documenting Warner's life. He spoke about his dad during his Hall of Fame speech.
"I've come to appreciate that the greatest gift that any parent can give their child is saying 'yes' to spending time with them," Warner said. "Dad, I know there were plenty of times you would have chosen to do something different, something you enjoyed more, but thank you for all the times you said 'yes,' because your yeses fanned my spark into a flame."
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Kurt Warner brothers: Matt Warner and Matt Post
Kurt has two brothers, both named Matt.
Matt Warner is the other child born to Kurt's parents, Gene and Sue. When his father remarried, his new wife, Mimi, also had a son named Matt. Kurt credited his brothers with his development as a football player, as the trio took on all challengers each Saturday growing up in Iowa.
In 2009, Sue described Matt Warner as a “computer guru, very successful, very intelligent, wanted in his field.” He is listed as a co-founder of GoCanvas.
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Where is Kurt Warner from?
Warner was born in Burlington, Iowa and attended high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
He stayed in the area after high school, attending the University of Northern Iowa, which is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
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