Today one of the greatest to ever play the game retired from the National Football League (NFL) after coming off what was undoubtedly one of his finest seasons. Green Bay Packers QB, Brett “The Gunslinger” Favre (pronounced “far-VE”), chose today to hang up his cleats after being one of the most dominating quarterbacks ever, and professional football player over the last 17 years. He set many records over the years and leaves the NFL with his name atop several career passing categories. In 2007, he set the record for passing Touchdowns (442), passing yards (61,655) and wins by a starting QB (160) and interceptions (288). Including the playoffs, he played in 275 consecutive games. That last statistic is amazing, that means EVERY. SINGLE. GAME. for 17 years. For a QB that is unheard of…and for one who was always the target for 300 pound and up linemen, chasing him, knocking him down and falling on top of him. I am positive that he will be in the Pro-Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. His team won the Lombardi Trophy awarded to Super Bowl Champions in 1996. And was named league Most Valuable Player 3 times.
Brett was destined to do great things in life. He got a second chance early on and I think he made the most of it. On July 14, 1990, before the start of Favre's senior year of college, he was involved in a near-fatal car accident. When going around a bend a few tenths of a mile from his parents' house, Favre lost control of his car, which flipped three times and came to rest against a tree. It was only after one of his brothers smashed a car window with a golf club that Favre could be evacuated to the hospital. In the ambulance, his mother was sitting with him. "All I kept asking [her] was 'Will I be able to play football again?'" Favre recalled later. Doctors would later remove 30 inches of Favre's small intestine. Six weeks after this incident, on September 8, Favre led Southern Miss to a comeback victory over Alabama. Alabama coach Gene Stallings said, "You can call it a miracle or a legend or whatever you want to. I just know that on that day, Brett Favre was larger than life."
No one expect this today…not his coach, not his teammates, not his opponents, and most of all football fans everywhere. Favre was the players you loved to hate, he was that good. When he first came into the league I didn’t care for him much, and then his addiction to the pain killer vicodin surfaced, he fell further down on my list of players I would cheer for. But over the past several years and after many tragedies (the sudden death of this father, and six months later the accidental death of his brother, his wife being diagnosed with breast cancer, hurricane Katrina destroying his off season home), as he started to do amazing things, and make better players out of mediocre ones I hopped on his bandwagon. Looking back on his relationship with one of the finest players and an even better man, to walk the earth Reggie White really solidified him as one of my favorites and I sure of many others.
So as we mourn Sunday’s without Ole #4, I say to Brett thanks for the memories. Thanks for giving kids everywhere a role model; someone to look up to, someone to emulate, someone to show them that good things do happen to good peopl. Thanks for showing everyone that real men shed tears, yep even the toughest of the tough. It has been a joy and privilege for me to watch you play over the years, and I was genuinely saddened to hear the news. I think the few other times I have been so deeply touched by news of someone I only idolized on TV were the night LT broke Joe Thiesmann’s leg and when I heard that Reggie White had died. I remember the warm tears the flowed down my cheeks. I respect your decision although I would have loved to see you make another run for a ring! As I am sure Cheese Heads across the globe would have wanted!
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