Brett Favre

Pre-NFL Years

Favre was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, October 10,1969 and raised in the small town of Kiln. He attended Hancock North Central High School where he played baseball and football. Even though Irvin Favre (Brett’s father) coached the High School football team, Brett rarely threw the football while in High School.

In 1987 Favre accepted a scholarship to Southern Mississippi where he was the 7th string backup Quarterback. He played his first game as a rookie on September 19th and went on to start for the remaining three seasons. Favre still holds numerous passing records at Southern Mississippi such as most plays, most yards gained, most passing yards gained, most completions made, most passing attempts made, and most touchdowns scored in a single season.

In the NFL

Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round, 33rd overall in the 1991 NFL Draft. His first pass in the NFL was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. His next 3 pass attempts were incomplete. After the 1991 seasons Favre was traded for a first round draft pick to the Green Bay Packers.

Favre completed his first pass in the NFL to himself during week 2 of the 1992 season. The following week Packer’s staring Quarterback Majkowski injured a ligament in his ankle and was replace by Favre. Favre led a game winning drive at the end of the game with 13 seconds remaining. Favre would go on to start over 160 consecutive games at the quarterback position. The following seasons in Green Bay saw much success for Favre as he went to 9 pro-bowls and lead the team to play playoffs for 12 consecutive seasons.

Glory Years

Favre had an exceptional year in 1995, raking up 4,413 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, and a 99.5 QB rating. He also won his first MVP. Despite this success, the Packers lost the NFC Championship game to the Dallas Cowboys.He was the only player ever to win the A.P. Mvp three years in a row.(95-97)

In the off season Favre came clean about his addiction to vicodin and administered himself to 46 days of rehabilitation. These off seasons problems seemed to have little effect on Favre’s play in 1996. He was awarded his second MVP after throwing 3,899 passing yards and 39 touchdowns while leading the team to a 13-3 record. Favre and the team easily advanced to Super Bowl XXXI where Favre completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns.

The following season was more of the same for Favre and the Packers; they continued to dominate opponents and made it to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. Favre was awarded his third straight MVP. Despite throwing for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns, John Elway and the Denver Broncos defeated the Packers 31-24.

Middle Years and the Oakland Raiders Game

The Packers posted a winning record through the 2004 season while Favre stats declined but stayed above average compared to other NFL Quarterbacks. The team went through two coaching changes and suffered its first losing season (2004) since Favre took over the team.

On December 21, 2003 Brett’s father died in a car accident. The next day Favre played in what ESPN has ranked as one of the best Monday Night Football games of all time when the Packers played the Oakland Raiders on December 22. Favre passed for four first half touchdowns and 399 total wars yards. After the game Favre said: “I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play. I love him so much and I love this game. It's meant a great deal to me, to my dad, to my family, and I didn't expect this kind of performance. But I know he was watching tonight."

Decline

A string of tragedies struck Favre’s life in 2004 and 05: His brother-in-law was killed in an ATV accident on his property, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and his home was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. Despite all of this, Favre continued to play.

After going 4-12 in 2004, Favre threw 20 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in 2005 and his 70.9 QB rating was ranked dead last in the league. Retirement rumors swirled and on April 26, 2006 Favre announced that he would return for another season in Green Bay. Favre had a mediocre season and the Packers missed the playoffs at 8-8.

The Rollercoaster Begins: Resurrection, Retirement and Return

Favre entered the 2007 seasons on the verge of eclipsing numerous NFL records. The first to fall was Most Wins by a QB (September 16, 2007) followed by Most Touchdowns by a QB (September 30). On November 4th Favre became only the 3rd QB in history to defeat all 31 other current NFL teams. Next off the list was most career games with at least 3 touchdowns, which was broken on Thanksgiving Day against the Lions (November 27). Later in the season Favre also become the all time leader in passing yards. He finished 2nd in the MVP voting and was voted to the Pro-Bowl.

After crushing the Seahawks, Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packer’s advanced to the 2007 NFC Champinship game against the New York Giants. After having one of his best seasons in years, Favre’s last game with the Packers ended in disaster after he threw an over-time interception that cost the Packers the game. Immediately after the game, questions about Favre's future were once again in the headlines. While many believed that he would return, on March 4, 2008 Brett Favre announced his retirement. An emotional press conference was held, and Favre cried while discussing his future. At the time, not many people thought much of it when Favre said "I know I can play, but I don't think I want to. And that's really what it comes down to."

On July 2, 2008 rumors begin to swirl over a possible return. After only a few days of rumors, Favre publicly announced his desire to be unconditionally released from the Packers. Packer’s general manager Ted Thompson refused, and the off-season drama show was officially under way.

Favre appeared on the Greta Van Susteren show on July 14th to talk about his potential comeback to the league. Favre said that he was “guilty of retiring early” and that the Packers had forced him to make a decision before the draft. Favre also accused the team of being dishonest with him and the public. The only way he would be interested in playing in Green Bay again was if he was to be the starting QB.

On July 29, 2008 Favre was officially reinstated into the NFL. After a brief meeting with Ted Thompson and Packer’s coach Mike McCarthy it was decided that it would be better for both Favre and the Packers if the two went their own way.

Brett the Jet

The Packers traded Favre to the Jets on August 7, 2008 in exchange for a conditional fourth round draft pick. Favre was playing on par with his 2007 season and was in serious discussion for league MVP after leading the Jets to a victory over the 10-0 Titans, propelling the Jets to an 8-3 record. Favre tore his bicep tendon in his right shoulder during the Titans game, an event that would have serious repercussions for the team in the later half of the season. The Jets lost four of their last five games; Favre threw eight interceptions and only two touchdowns in those five games. After the season was over, Brett Favre announced his retirement from the NFL after 18 seasons.

Favre Watch 2009

A string of events propelled Favre back into the headlines during the 2009 offseason:

• Feb 11th: Retired from Jets
• April 28th: Released by Jets from Reserve/Retired List
• May 4th: Worked out at a local High School is Hattiesburg Mississippi
• May 11th: Vikings President Mark Wilf confirms team's interest in Favre
• June 8th: Reported that Favre had surgery on his throwing arm.
• July 28th: Lets the Vikings know that he will remain retired.
• August 18: Signs a 2 year deal with the Vikings

The Unthinkable

It was more than two years in the making, but Brett Favre was finally a Minnesota Viking. October 5th was circled on the everyone's calendar as "Favre Bowl I". The Vikings hosted the Packers in what was at the time the most watched event in the history of Cable TV. Favre went 24 for 31 with 271 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the Vikings to a 30-23 victory. The Vikings started the season 6-0 and quickly become one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

"Favre Bowl II" took place on November 1st. Favre's returned to Lambeau field brought in 29.8 million viewers, shattering the record broken just a few weeks early. In fact, more people turned in to this game than game four of the 2009 World Series. Favre once again beat his old team, 38-26.

After a 10-1 start, the Vikings lost 3 of their last 4 games. Many people wrote them off, especially since Favre would have to play the Cowboys, a team he had never beaten in the playoffs, in the NFC Divisional game. But Favre proved everyone wrong once again: after throwing 4 touchdown in a 34-3 beat down, Favre become the first QB in league history to win a playoff game at the age of 40.

Fate, however, would not be on Favre's side come the NFC Championship Game. Turnovers plagued the entire team: Favre made things worse by throwing a late 4th quarter interception with the Vikings on the cusp of field goal range. The Saints would go on to win the game in overtime.

Favre had one of his best years in 2009. He had 4,202 yards, 33 TDs, 7 INTs, a 68.4% completion percentage, and a 107.2 QB rating.

Records:

Most consecutive AP NFL MVP awards: 3 (1995, 1996, 1997)

Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL): 285 (309 including playoffs)

Most wins by a starting quarterback (NFL) regular season career: 181

Most career passing touchdowns: 497

Most career passing yards: 69,329

Most career pass completions: 6,083

Most career pass attempts: 9,811

Most career interceptions thrown: 317

Most career games with at least three touchdowns: 71

Most games with 4 touchdowns: 23

A victory recorded in the most different NFL stadiums: 32

(2nd) Most career playoff pass completions: 438(Montana, 460)

(2nd) Most career playoff pass attempts: 721 (Montana, 734)

(2nd) Most career playoff passing yards: 5,311 (Montana, 5,772)

(2nd) Most career playoff passing touchdowns: 39 (Montana, 45)

(Tied 1st) Most career playoff interceptions thrown: 28 (Jim Kelly, 28)

(Tied 1st) Most career playoff losses as starting QB: 10 (Dan Marino, 10)

Most Fumbles in a career: 162 (Moon, 161) Broken 10/11/2010

Favre is the only quarterback to have beaten all 32 NFL teams.

Favre as a Cover Athlete

Brett Favre has graced the cover of 6 football games:

1. NFL Quarterback Club '98
2. NFL Quarterback Club '99
3. NFL Quarterback Club 2000
4. NFL Quarterback Club 2001
5. NFL Quarterback Club 2002
6. Madden NFL 2009