The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2026 rookie minicamp is underway at the team’s practice facility near Arrowhead Stadium, and one name on the 76-player tryout roster stands out for reasons that go far beyond football stats: E.J. Warner.
The Fresno State quarterback — and son of Pro Football Hall of Famer, two-time NFL MVP, and Super Bowl XXXIV champion Kurt Warner — is one of just two signal-callers invited to the camp on a tryout basis. Alongside TCU’s Ken Seals, Warner will get three days (Friday through Sunday) to showcase his arm in front of Chiefs coaches, with the hope of earning a spot on the 90-man offseason roster or at least turning heads enough to stay in the conversation.
It’s a full-circle moment for a family defined by improbable NFL dreams.
Kurt Warner went from bagging groceries and playing in the Arena Football League to leading the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams to a Super Bowl title and later resurrecting the Arizona Cardinals. His son EJ (full name Elijah Warner) now steps onto the same professional stage — undrafted, unproven at the NFL level, but carrying the same competitive fire and quarterback pedigree.
Warner, a 6-foot, 190-pound pocket passer from Phoenix, Arizona, and a Brophy Prep product, carved out a productive four-year college career that spanned three programs.
- 2022 at Temple (Freshman): Named American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. He threw for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns, setting school records for completions in a season while becoming just the second Owl to eclipse 3,000 passing yards in a single year.
- 2023 at Temple (Sophomore): Another 3,000-yard season (3,076 yards, 23 touchdowns) despite missing time with injury. He earned single-digit jersey No. 3 — a Temple honor reserved for leaders — and set program marks for attempts and multiple five-touchdown games.
- 2024 at Rice: After transferring, he started 11 games and posted 2,710 yards and 17 touchdowns, ranking fifth all-time in single-season passing yards for the Owls.
- 2025 at Fresno State (Senior): Named the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback in August after a three-man competition. He went 7-3 as a starter in 10 games, completing 192 of 277 passes (69.3%) for 2,030 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He earned Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl MVP honors after a strong performance in the win over Miami (OH).
Career totals: 988 completions on 1,604 attempts for 10,844 yards, 71 touchdowns, and 48 interceptions. Warner wasn’t flashy with his legs (just 126 rushing yards in 2025), but he showed accuracy, poise under pressure, and the ability to lead winning teams — traits that echo his father’s game.
He entered the transfer portal twice, chasing the right fit and the opportunity to keep developing. Fresno State gave him one final collegiate chapter as the clear starter, and now the NFL is giving him one more shot.
Patrick Mahomes remains the undisputed face of the franchise. The Chiefs used a late-round pick (No. 249 overall) on LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier in the 2026 draft, adding another young arm to the room. But NFL teams always need extra quarterbacks at rookie minicamp to handle the volume of throws during install periods.
That’s where Warner and Seals come in. They’re not guaranteed anything — they’re among the green-shirted tryout players hoping to catch the eye of head coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, and quarterbacks coach Connor Embree.
History shows the door is open. Last year, TCU linebacker Cooper McDonald attended Chiefs rookie minicamp as a tryout player, signed with the team, made the 53-man roster, and contributed on defense and special teams in 2025. The message is clear: one strong weekend in Kansas City can change everything.
EJ Warner has spoken in the past about the dual-edged sword of his last name. The expectations are real, but so is the blueprint his father provided — never quit, embrace the grind, and let your play do the talking.
Kurt Warner has been vocal in his support, publicly celebrating EJ’s accomplishments at every stop. The Warner family’s story — from small-school roots to NFL glory — remains one of the most inspiring in league history. Now the next generation is writing its own chapter.
Whether EJ sticks with the Chiefs remains to be seen. At minimum, he’ll leave Arrowhead with valuable reps against NFL-caliber talent and another line on a résumé already rich with perseverance. At best, he follows the family tradition and turns an undrafted tryout into something much bigger.
