Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt announced that veteran quarterback Kurt Warner will start against the 49ers when the team opens the season on Sept. 7. Whisenhunt admitted that he wrestled with the decision, but felt that Warner gives the Cardinals the best opportunity to win now.

Warner battled former first-round pick Matt Leinart in training camp.

“No matter which way we went with this decision, someone was going to be upset,” Whisenhunt said during a press conference on Saturday.

Warner started 11 games for the Cardinals in 2007, replacing Leinart, who broke his collar bone at St. Louis on Oct. 7. Warner had a solid season for the Cardinals, passing for 3,417 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Whisenhunt was quick to announce that Leinart was the team’s starter when the 2007 season ended, but left the competition open. Warner didn’t start in the team’s first preseason game and it looked like Leinart was going to win the job after a couple of solid performances.

But Leinart threw 3 interceptions against Oakland in the Cardinals’ third preseason game, increasing speculation that Warner had moved ahead of him. Whisenhunt confirmed that on Saturday.

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