After missing all of 2001 due to injury, Steve Warren proved to be a valuable backup at both defensive tackle positions in 2002.
Although inactive for four contests, Warren made a career-high 19 tackles including one sack.
In the third game of the season at Detroit he forced a fumble and also batted a Joey Harrington pass at the line of scrimmage, which Marques Anderson intercepted and returned for a touchdown.
He finished the season by seeing his first playoff action.
Now preparing for what he hopes will be a strong 2003, Warren sat down with Packers.com to answer some Random Questions.
Packers.com: What have you been doing with your offseason?
Warren: "Pretty much I've been back in Nebraska working out, enjoying a little time with my family."
What have you been doing for fun?
"Nothing much, hanging out with some friends and family. That's all I really need. I went to the Super Bowl, and that's the extent of my vacation so far."
Are you a baseball fan?
"No."
So you probably don't care that the major league season has started?
"No, I couldn't care less. In fact, I'm kind of mad because it cuts off my SportsCenter time watching highlights."
Seen any good movies lately?
"Friday After Next. I just got that on DVD. I enjoyed that a lot."
If you could change an NFL rule, what would you change?
"The rules on hitting the quarterback, not being able to hit them how you want to hit them and drive them to the ground. That's too soft."
Would you tell that to Brett Favre?
"No, they can't hit my quarterback like that, but we should be able to hit other quarterbacks like that. Brett wouldn't care though. He doesn't care about that stuff, he just plays football."
Instant replay: more of it, less of it, just right?
"Just right."
What's the funniest thing you've ever seen on the football field?
"I won't name names, but a current teammate of mine, we were playing at San Francisco last year and he made a play and I saw him jump up really fast. He was kind of waving his hands around like something had happened and he'd been injured. I thought he'd really hurt himself, but he'd just bitten his lip. When I found out that's all it was, I couldn't help but laugh. You had to see it, but it was pretty amusing."
You grew up in Springfield, Mo., what's the best thing about your hometown?
"My family. I've got a large family there and that's the best thing for me about it."
Speaking of your family, your dad is famous in this locker room for making barbeque sauce, right?
"Yeah, he's a caterer and he makes his own barbeque sauce. He's been doing that since before I was born."
How many players got bottles of your dad's barbeque sauce last year?
"Probably 20-some players, plus coaches. They enjoyed it, and everyone's hitting me up for more, so my dad better get back to work."
Your dad has a reputation to keep up, what does he think about that?
"He loves it. Actually, we're trying to get it bottled right now. I have to call a manufacturer soon."
What are your hobbies?
"I play a lot of video games. I sing. I spend time with my family."
What video game are you playing now?
"NBA Live."
So you're an NBA fan then? What's your favorite team?
"I'm a Lakers fan because I like Shaquille O'Neal, but I really don't have a team per se. I like watching players more than I like teams. I like Shaq, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett."
What's the biggest misconception about you, if any?
"Sometimes people underestimate my size. Or they say I'm too nice."
On the field they think you're too nice?
"Probably both, on the field and off the field."
Looking back over last season, what was the highlight for you?
"Probably playing my first playoff game, even though it didn't end the way I wanted it to. And probably just the success of the team last year all around. The whole year was a highlight."
Do you think people have forgotten about the team's success of winning 12 games just because of the way the season ended?
"Yeah, I do. But you're only as good as your last game. Everybody knows that. But I'd say we really don't have anything to hang our heads down about. We didn't finish the season like we should have, but all things considered we had a more than decent season."
What are your goals for this season?
"To improve my quickness, speed and strength and contribute to the team more. And hopefully as a team to get back to the Super Bowl."
Do you watch any reality TV? What do you watch?
"A little, if you consider American Idol reality TV."
You're a singer yourself, when did you start singing?
"Probably when I was 5 or 6."
Do you do anything with your singing now?
"Once in a while I have friends that rap and I'll go in the studio and do something there. Or when I go home I sing in church, or sometimes when I have time here people want me to sing at weddings."
Do you have any desire to make a record?
"Eventually, probably. I don't want to make a record for distribution, but I'd like to make a record that I could give to my mother."
Who is the funniest player on this team?
"Cletidus Hunt is a pretty funny dude. He's just wild, he's just crazy. Everything he does is funny to me."
What's the best thing about being a Packer?
"The camaraderie of the team. I think that being in a small town everybody has to be a lot closer with each other than they would have to be if we were in a big place. Being here in Green Bay everybody has to stick together and be like a family. And we're a family"
