Son of former Rams Hall of Famer announces plans to transfer for second year in a row

Elijah “EJ” Warner, son of former Rams QB Kurt Warner, announced his intentions to transfer from Rice

After transferring from Temple to Rice last year, Elijah “EJ” Warner, son of former Rams Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, announced on x.com his intentions to once again enter the transfer portal on Thursday after a 4-8 finish to the Owls season. Warner played well during his time at Temple his freshman and sophomore year, leading to his opportunity to join Rice, but unfortunately he and the team faltered this past season.

The results led to Rice firing former head coach Mike Bloomgren, who originally recruited Warner to Rice, in October. New head coach Scott Abell was hired on Tuesday, which may have prompted Warner’s move as he sited “a change in scheme and philosophy” as his reasoning for leaving the team after one season.

Many thought Warner’s move to Rice would lead to more national exposure for the young quarterback, but his junior year struggles with the Owls may have set him back a bit in his chances to be drafted. Warner finished the year throwing 13 interceptions, the most he’s had in a single college season, along with 2,700 yards and 17 touchdown passes. The latter were also both career lows in his three years as a starting quarterback.

Warner will now hope to find a new home for his senior year that will help boost his draft stock, however it will probably need to be at a program that is a step back as far as notoriety is concerned. Luckily, his father knows all about playing at a small school, proving yourself in your senior year and finding success in the NFL despite being undrafted.

Kurt Warner attended Northern Iowa University but did not get a chance to play until his senior year of college. After going undrafted in 1994, the elder Warner continued on in his quest to find an NFL home. After playing a few years in the Arena league and NFL Europe, Warner landed with the Rams in 1998. After an injury to starter Trent Green, Warner found himself throwing 41 touchdowns on route to winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 1999. He would go on to lead what would become the “Greatest Show on Turf”, winning league MVP in 1999 and 2001, while ushering in one of the best three-year stints of offense the league has ever seen.

While the path to the NFL for EJ may be harder now, his father has proven that against all odds there is always a chance for anyone to play in the NFL if you seize the opportunity and prove your talent when given a chance to play. Warner will hope to do that at his next collegiate destination, and maybe even someday he’ll end up in horns.