Kurt Warner's rise to stardom in the NFL is one of the best-known underdog stories in sports. The former Pro Bowl quarterback is hoping the rags-to-riches journey he experienced will help his alma mater in the NCAA basketball tournament.

Warner is spending his weekend in Seattle, Wash., watching and rooting for the Panthers. He accepted an invitation from Coach Ben Jacobson to give UNI a pep talk at the team hotel on Thursday night (March 19, 2015).

Warner talked to the team again shortly after the game and congratulated UNI on its victory. He then spoke to the media about the message he delivered to the team in the locker room (Video above).

Warner started just one season at quarterback for UNI, passing for 2,747 yards in 1993. The undrafted free agent never gave up on his dream of playing in the NFL.

In three years, Warner went from being a minimum-wage worker at a Cedar Falls grocery store to an Arena League football star with the Iowa Barnstormers. In 1999, he led the St. Louis Rams to their only Super Bowl title in his first-year as an NFL starting quarterback.

Warner threw for 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns while playing for the Rams, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. He played in three Super Bowls, was twice named the NFL’s regular-season most valuable player and won the Super Bowl MVP award in 1999. He retired from the NFL in 2010 and now works for the NFL Network.


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