Peter Warrick, a name synonymous with electrifying plays and college football stardom, carved a unique path in the world of sports. Born and raised in Bradenton, Florida, his journey began at Southeast High School, where he excelled in multiple sports, setting the stage for a promising career. But what exactly happened to Peter Warrick after his dazzling college years? Let’s delve into his complete story, from his high school beginnings to his life after football.
Image: Peter Warrick, a standout three-sport athlete from Southeast High School in Bradenton, Florida, showcasing his early football talent.
High School Heroics: The Making of a Star
At Southeast High School, Warrick wasn’t just a football player; he was a three-sport phenomenon. He shone brightly in basketball and track, earning All-area first-team honors for his speed in the 100m and his distance in the long jump. However, it was on the football field where Warrick truly began to capture attention.
Playing as a dual-threat weapon, Warrick displayed exceptional versatility. In his junior year as a wide receiver, he snagged 34 passes for an impressive 580 yards and 12 touchdowns. Transitioning to quarterback in his senior year, he continued to impress, throwing for 1,068 yards and adding 15 total touchdowns to his name.
Warrick’s exceptional performances were instrumental in the Southeast Seminoles’ dominant run, boasting a 29-1 record in his final two high school years. He was a key component in their consecutive state championship wins in 1993 and 1994, solidifying his status as a high school football legend.
Reflecting on his high school career, Warrick highlighted a pivotal moment to Tom Balog of the Herald-Tribune. It was a game-winning punt return against the Manatee Hurricanes in 1993 that he described as his “coming out” moment, drawing a parallel to his later impactful game against Clemson in college.
That was my ‘coming out,’ like my Clemson game in college. But you know how it is in football. All it takes is a little confidence. It feels like, ‘Okay, I can do this.’
That’s all it takes. When you get a little confidence and a little dog in you – I already had dog in me – I already felt like I was the best person out there.
Joe Kinnan, then head football coach for Manatee, recognized Warrick’s special talent, calling him “an incredible football player” and emphasizing the danger he posed whenever he had the ball.
By 1995, National Recruiting Advisor ranked Warrick as the top high school wide receiver and the seventh-best player nationwide. His high school achievements paved the way for a highly anticipated college career.
Florida State Seminoles: College Football Stardom
Image: Peter Warrick in action for the Florida State Seminoles, demonstrating his leaping ability and athleticism as a wide receiver.
Warrick had his pick of top college football programs, but he chose to stay in Florida and commit to Bobby Bowden’s Florida State Seminoles. After redshirting in 1995, he burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 1996. Interestingly, his roommate before Randy Moss transferred to Marshall was none other than Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss.
From the outset, Warrick made his presence felt. He led the Seminoles with an impressive 21.2 yards per catch average in 1996. His contributions included 467 receiving yards and 22 receptions, ranking him second and fourth among FSU receivers, respectively. His standout performance that season was against Southern Miss, where he grabbed four catches for 87 yards.
His sophomore year in 1997 marked his true breakout. On September 20, against Clemson, Warrick exploded for 372 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns, including a spectacular 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 35-28 victory. This performance made him only the third player in FSU history to surpass 200 receiving yards in a single game.
Warrick concluded his redshirt sophomore season with 53 receptions, 884 yards, and eight touchdowns. He earned second-team All-ACC honors and was a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist in 1997, recognizing him as one of the nation’s top receivers.
He elevated his game further in 1998, recording 61 receptions, 1,232 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. Seven times he surpassed 100 receiving yards in a game, including a dominant 190-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Miami Hurricanes in a 26-14 victory. His stellar season helped FSU achieve an 11-2 record, although they fell short in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl against Tennessee.
Despite the Fiesta Bowl loss, Warrick’s junior season accolades were abundant. He was a consensus All-American and earned first-team Associated Press and Walter Camp All-American honors. He was also a Biletnikoff Award finalist for the second consecutive year.
The pinnacle of his college career came in the 2000 Sugar Bowl, where FSU secured its second national championship by defeating Michael Vick’s Virginia Tech Hokies 46-29. Warrick’s performance in this game was legendary: six receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns, along with a breathtaking 59-yard punt return touchdown. He was rightfully named the 2000 Sugar Bowl MVP.
Reflecting on his Sugar Bowl MVP performance and the national championship, Warrick told AllStateSugarBowl.org:
“I’ve never been so focused before a game in my life. I was just going to go into this game to do what I’ve done all season – go out and make plays.”
“When I leave Florida State, I want people to think of me as a good person on and off the field. I went out as a champion. This is the national championship. No one can ever take this away from me.”
However, the 2000 season wasn’t without its challenges. Warrick and teammate Laveranues Coles were arrested for grand theft for allegedly underpaying for merchandise at a Dillard’s department store. The resulting suspension caused him to miss games and significantly impacted his Heisman Trophy chances. Ron Dayne ultimately won the Heisman that year.
Despite the off-field incident, Peter Warrick solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players in Florida State Seminoles history. He finished his college career with 207 receptions for 3,517 yards and 32 touchdowns, and added 937 yards and two touchdowns on punt and kick returns. Legendary coach Bobby Bowden considered Warrick’s talent on par with FSU greats like Andre Wadsworth, Warrick Dunn, and Derrick Brooks.
“He’s a dangerous football player,” Bowden told the Los Angeles Times in 1999. “I think you better get two or three guys on him. He’s just got a God-given talent to evade people.”
Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL: A Career of Ups and Downs
Image: Peter Warrick posing proudly after being selected as the fourth overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2000 NFL Draft.
The Cincinnati Bengals, seeking to revitalize their struggling franchise, selected Peter Warrick as the fourth overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. The Bengals hoped he would become the next great receiver in their history, joining the ranks of Cris Collinsworth, Isaac Curtis, and Carl Pickens.
Cincinnati was coming off a dismal 4-12 season in 1999 and had missed the playoffs for nine consecutive years. Their receiving corps was depleted, having released Carl Pickens, losing Willie Jackson to free agency, and Darnay Scott to injury. The Bengals’ receiving options were thin, relying on players like Danny Farmer, Craig Yeast, and Ron Dugans. Bengals fans placed high hopes on Warrick to inject excitement and talent into the team.
In his rookie season, Warrick posted respectable numbers, with 51 receptions for 592 yards and four touchdowns. However, the Bengals continued to struggle, finishing with another 4-12 record. His sophomore season saw slight improvements in receptions (70) and yards (667), but only one touchdown. The Bengals remained in the losing column, going 6-10 in 2001.
Warrick showed signs of progress in his third year, the 2002 NFL season. He increased his touchdown catches to six, although his receptions (53) and yards (606) slightly decreased. The team, however, hit rock bottom, with a 2-14 record.
In 2003, things began to turn around for both Warrick and the Bengals. He thrived in the slot receiver role, achieving career highs in receptions (79), receiving yards (819), and touchdowns (seven). His standout game came against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs on November 16, 2003. In that game, Warrick returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown and later caught a touchdown pass from Jon Kitna, securing a 24-19 upset victory for the Bengals.
11-16-2003, the Bengals beat the Chiefs 24-19. @Pdub80 Peter Warrick had a 68 yard punt return touchdown & caught a 77 yard touchdown from @CoachJKit. Rudi Johnson ran for 165 yards on 22 carries. pic.twitter.com/L2xTocunRK
— Scott F (@TheFrizz87) November 17, 2020
Warrick’s strong 2003 season contributed to the Bengals improving to an 8-8 record, although they still missed the playoffs. He expressed optimism for the future in an interview with Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson:
“I had a nice season. I just think it’s getting better every year. I told my family the fifth year is going to be the best year just because I know the system and what I have to do.”
“We;ve got Coach Brat (offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski) and I’ve been with him how many years now? Four? Now I can do things better with more experience, more knowing what I have to do.”
However, his promising trajectory took a sharp turn in the 2004 season opener. Warrick fractured his shinbone in a game against the New York Jets, where he still managed 76 receiving yards on five catches. The injury proved severe, and after limited play in subsequent games, the Bengals decided to shut him down for the season.
“His injury has not healed in a way that he could play productively,” then-Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis told The Associated Press. “Our doctors all agree that the best course for Peter is to have surgery that will allow him to fully recover in plenty of time for 2005.”
Warrick never played for the Bengals again. His injury paved the way for T.J. Houshmandzadeh to solidify his role as the team’s No. 2 receiver alongside Chad Johnson. The Bengals again finished 8-8 in 2004 and missed the playoffs.
Rumors circulated that Warrick requested his release due to a crowded receiver room, and the Bengals granted his request.
“There is some disappointment involved in making this move,” Lewis said in a team statement. “But I believe it’s in the best interest of the Bengals and Peter to go forward.”
However, Warrick later clarified in a 2012 interview with The Bradenton Times that he felt “disrespected” by how the Bengals handled his release, feeling blindsided and that the team lacked loyalty.
“I felt really disrespected by the way that was handled. I gave everything I had to Cincinnati, and I just felt they owed it to me to tell me like a man.”
“Not hearing it everywhere else first, and then just asking not to be humiliated if that was the case. Let me know before I walk in there, you know, men have pride.”
“That’s when I understood that this is just a business and they’re not looking out for anything but their bottom line. There’s no family, no loyalty, it’s just a money thing.”
Seattle Seahawks and Beyond: The Final NFL Chapter
Warrick quickly found a new team, signing a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks just before the 2005 season. He was expected to compete for the No. 3 receiver role. However, his time in Seattle was short-lived and unproductive, totaling only 180 receiving yards on 11 catches.
Despite his limited role, Warrick played in Super Bowl XL with the Seahawks, recording 27 punt return yards in their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Seattle released him after the preseason the following year, marking the end of his NFL career.
Looking back, some Bengals fans lament the team’s decision to draft Warrick over running back Jamal Lewis, who was selected immediately after him and went on to have a more impactful NFL career. Other notable players drafted after Warrick with more successful NFL careers include Plaxico Burress, Thomas Jones, Corey Simon, and Brian Urlacher.
Happy Sports Card Sunday! Today’s card is of former @Bengals player Peter Warrick #WhoDey #SeizeTheDEY #BALvsCIN #Cincinnati pic.twitter.com/jY3IJvsgH2
— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) January 3, 2021
Peter Warrick’s NFL career, while featuring flashes of the brilliance he displayed in college, ultimately did not reach the heights many anticipated. He was not the franchise-altering wide receiver the Bengals envisioned.
Life After the NFL: Coaching and Community Focus
Peter Warrick’s football journey didn’t end with the NFL. He explored opportunities in various leagues, signing with the Arena Football League’s Las Vegas Gladiators in 2006, though he never played for them. He also had brief stints with the Canadian Football League and Indoor Football League.
In 2009, he joined the Indoor Football League’s Bloomington Extreme, where he had a successful season, catching 56 passes for 606 yards and 13 touchdowns. He then signed with the United Football League’s California Redwoods, but did not make the final roster. In 2010, he briefly signed with the Cincinnati Commandos of the Continental Indoor Football League, but again, never played for the team.
Ultimately, Warrick transitioned into coaching and community work. He was inducted into the FSU Hall of Fame in 2010, a testament to his remarkable college career. The same year, his high school alma mater, Southeast High, welcomed him back as their wide receivers coach. He also worked as a parent liaison at Daughtry Elementary School in Bradenton, further engaging with his community.
Warrick found fulfillment in coaching high school players, as he shared with the Herald-Tribune in 2011:
“What I enjoyed was teaching the kids something that I already learned. What I’m teaching them is not just on the college level. I was teaching them what they do in the NFL. That was the good thing about it. And they responded.”
We got some young guys. I got an opportunity to coach Bo Brand and those guys. They were already athletes. But if I can go out and spread the knowledge, it was just great for me.
In 2018, Florida State University retired his No. 9 jersey, a prestigious honor recognizing his legendary status at FSU. He became only the 10th Seminole to have his jersey retired.
Had a great time last night hanging with Peter Warrick, who’s in town to celebrate his #9 jersey retirement during Monday’s game against Virginia Tech. Well deserved!Thanks @Pdub80 and Congrats!!! pic.twitter.com/KY93Qqk44P
— Conservative Nole (@SpearItSports) September 1, 2018
Currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia, Peter Warrick continues to make a positive impact. He works with children with special needs and disabilities at a local high school. He and his wife, Tabitha, established the Payton Warrick Foundation, named after their son, reflecting their commitment to giving back. Warrick is a father of four children: Alyric, Pete, Alyrah, and Payton.
Peter Warrick’s story is one of incredible talent, college football glory, and a transition to a more challenging NFL career. While his professional football journey may not have fully mirrored his college success, he has found purpose and fulfillment in coaching, community service, and family life. “What Happened To Peter Warrick?” He evolved, adapted, and continues to contribute positively, proving that his impact extends far beyond the football field.
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