Super Bowl quarterback Warner becomes free agent

NFC quarterback Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals throws the ball during warm ups before the NFL Pro Bowl game at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii February 8, 2009.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Although Kurt Warner became a member of the 2009 free-agent class on Friday, the veteran quarterback would prefer to stay with the Arizona Cardinals team he led to the Super Bowl.

"The ideal would be to stay in Arizona. I think it's a perfect fit for me," the 37-year-old told ESPN Radio. "What we're doing, what we've done and built the last couple of years is something I want to continue."

However, Warner would not rule out a move. "You become a free agent ... you listen to offers and you've got to weigh everything up," he said.

He kept first-round draft pick Matt Leinart on the bench last season after a brilliant campaign that carried the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl.

The former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player with the St Louis Rams threw for 30 touchdowns against 14 interceptions last season.

Warner put Arizona ahead in the final quarter of the Super Bowl before a last-minute touchdown gave the Pittsburgh Steelers victory.

The Cardinals are offering a two-year deal worth around $20 million but his agent wants a contract that would pay the quarterback about $14 million a year, the Arizona Republic reported.

"There hasn't been a whole bunch of talk at this point," the 11-year veteran said about negotiations. "We're not eye to eye on a few things."

(Writing by Larry Fine, Editing by Tony Jimenez)