Kade Warner Aug 3, 2023; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Kade Warner (85) participates in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not often that an NFL team releasing an undrafted free agent makes news, but people definitely notice when your father is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released wide receiver Kade Warner, the son of legendary quarterback Kurt Warner.

Warner, who played three seasons at Nebraska before finishing his college career at Kansas State, had been seen as a long shot to make the team, despite his bloodlines.

If there’s any consolation for Kade Warner, his father didn’t catch on in the NFL right away, either. Kurt Warner famously found himself stocking shelves at a grocery store in his mid-20s before finally landing an opportunity with the then-St. Louis Rams.

Kade Warner had shown plenty of confidence as he battled for a job in training camp.

“I take everything personally,” Warner said in May. “So, I’m competitive like that, and I’m the smartest receiver in this draft class. I’ve said it before. They’re going to get a good slot receiver out of me, and I’m going to know exactly what to do on every play.”

The younger Warner had a couple of shining moments in the preseason, but it wasn’t enough to make a difference before the final roster cuts.

Is this the end of the football road for Kade Warner? As his famous father showed, in a story highlighted in the 2021 movie American Underdog, anything is possible.

[Dov Kleiman]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.