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| Early years | |
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Favre was born in Gulfport, Mississippi to Irvin (b. January 5, 1945 in Pass Christian, Mississippi – d. December 21, 2003 in Kiln, Mississippi) and Bonita (b. September 27, 1944 in Pass Christian, Mississippi) Favre, and raised in the small town of Kiln. Both his parents were schoolteachers in the Hancock County School District. He is of French and Choctaw ancestry; one of his paternal grandparents was a Native American affiliated with the Choctaw.[8] He was the second of four children and attended Hancock North Central High School where he played baseball and football. Favre started for the Hancock North Central baseball team as an eighth-grader and earned five varsity letters. He played quarterback, lineman, strong safety, placekicker and punter in a primarily option, run-oriented offense coached by his father, Irvin Favre, who was the head coach of the team.
Irvin Favre said he knew his son had a great arm but also knew that the school was blessed with good running backs. As a result, in the three years Brett was on the team, his father ran the wishbone, a run-oriented offense. Favre rarely threw more than five passes in a game.[9]
Tags:High School,2003,Quarterback,Gulfport, Mississippi,Pass Christian, Mississippi,Kiln,Hancock County School District,French,Choctaw,Native American,Hancock North Central High School,Lineman,Strong Safety,Placekicker,Punter,Option,Running Backs,Wishbone,Mississippi, | |
| College career | |
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After high school, Southern Mississippi offered Favre a scholarship (the only one he received). Southern Miss wanted him to play defensive back, but Favre wanted to play quarterback instead. Favre began his freshman year as the seventh-string quarterback and took over the starting position in the second half of the third game of the year against Tulane on September 19, 1987. Favre, despite suffering a hangover from the night before and vomiting during warm-ups, led the Golden Eagles to a come-from-behind victory with two touchdown passes.[10] Favre started ten games during his freshman year and won six of them.
In his junior season, Favre led the Golden Eagles to an upset of Florida State (then ranked sixth in the nation) on September 2, 1989. Favre capped a six-and-a-half-minute drive with the game-winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds remaining.[10]
On July 14, 1990, before the start of Favre's senior year at Southern Miss, 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 (760 mm) 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."[11]
Favre continues to hold various Southern Miss football records. As of the end of the 2010 season, he held the career individual record in the following categories: most plays, most total yards gained, most passing yards gained, most completions made, and most passing attempts made. He had held the record for the most touchdowns scored (52), but it was later tied by quarterback Lee Roberts, who played for the school from 1995–98. Favre had 15 games over his career where he compiled more than 200 passing yards, making him the fourth all–time school leader in that category. Of those 15 games, five were 300-yard games, the most compiled by any of the school's quarterbacks. Additionally, he was the seasonal leader in total passing and total offense in all four of his seasons at Southern Miss.[12]
Favre earned a teaching degree with an emphasis in special education from the University of Southern Mississippi.[13]
Tags:Southern Mississippi,1995,2010,University Of Southern Mississippi,Defensive Back,Second Half Of The Third Game Of The Year,Tulane,Golden Eagles,Florida State,Southern Miss,Small Intestine,Alabama,Gene Stallings,Lee Roberts,Special Education, | |
| Atlanta Falcons (1991) | |
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Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round, 33rd overall in the 1991 NFL Draft.[14] On July 19, 1991, Favre agreed to a three-year, $1.4 million contract with a reported signing bonus of $350,000.[15] Atlanta coach Jerry Glanville did not approve of the drafting of Favre, saying it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre into the game.[16] Favre's first pass in an NFL regular season game resulted in an interception returned for a touchdown.[17] He only attempted four passes in his career at Atlanta, was intercepted twice, and completed none of them. Brett took one other snap, which resulted in a sack for an eleven yard loss.[5]
Tags:Nfl Draft,1991,Atlanta Falcons,1991 Nfl Draft,Jerry Glanville, | |
| Green Bay Packers (1992–2007) | |
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Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf traded a first-round pick (19th overall, which would be used for Tony Smith) for Favre after the 1991 season. Wolf, while an assistant to the general manager of the New York Jets, had intended to take Favre in the 1991 NFL draft, but Favre was taken by the Falcons on the previous pick.[16][17]
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and other sources, during the physical after the trade, Favre was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip, the same degenerative condition that ended Bo Jackson's football career, and doctors recommended his physical be failed, which would nullify the trade. Wolf overruled them.[18][17]
Brett Favre played 16 seasons in Green Bay. During his time in Green Bay, Favre was the first NFL player to win three consecutive AP MVP awards. The only player to win four AP MVP Awards is Peyton Manning.[19] He helped the Packers appear in two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXI. Favre also started every Green Bay Packers game from September 20, 1992 to January 20, 2008.[20]
Tags:Green Bay Packers,1992,New York Jets,2008,Super Bowl,Xxxi,Super Bowl Xxxi,Ron Wolf,Tony Smith,Milwaukee Journal-sentinel,Avascular Necrosis,Bo Jackson,Peyton Manning,Packers, | |
| Beginnings (1992–94) | |
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In the second game of the 1992 season, the Packers played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers were leading 17–0 at halftime when head coach Mike Holmgren benched starting quarterback Don Majkowski and Favre played the second half. On his first regular season play as a Packer, Favre threw a pass that was deflected and caught by himself.[17] Favre was tackled and the completion went for −7 yards. The Packers lost the game 31–3, chalking up only 106 yards passing.[21][22]
In the third game of the 1992 season, Majkowski injured a ligament in his ankle against the Cincinnati Bengals, an injury severe enough that he would be out for four weeks. Favre replaced Majkowski for the remainder of the contest. Favre fumbled four times during the course of the game,[22] a performance poor enough that the crowd chanted for Favre to be removed in favor of another Packers backup quarterback at the time, Ty Detmer.[23] However, down 23–17 with 1:07 left in the game, the Packers started an offensive series on their own 8 yard line. Still at the quarterback position, Favre completed a 42 yard pass to Sterling Sharpe. Three plays later, Favre threw the game–winning touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining.[22][17]
The next week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers began the longest consecutive starts streak for a quarterback in NFL history. The game ended in a 17–3 victory and his passer rating was 144.6. During the season, Favre helped put together a six-game winning streak for the Packers, the longest winning streak for the club since 1965. They ended 9–7 that season, missing the playoffs on their last game.[22] Favre finished his first season as a Packer with 3,227 yards and a quarterback rating of 85.3, helping him to his first Pro Bowl.[24]
The following season Favre helped the Packers to their first playoff berth since 1982 and was named to his second Pro Bowl. After the season Favre became a free agent. General manager Ron Wolf negotiated Favre into a five-year, $19 million contract.
The Packers finished the 1994 season 9–7, advancing them to the playoffs in back to back years, a feat they had not accomplished since the Vince Lombardi era.[25]
Tags:Pro Bowl,1992 Season,Tampa Bay Buccaneers,Mike Holmgren,Don Majkowski,Cincinnati Bengals,Ty Detmer,Sterling Sharpe,Kitrick Taylor,Pittsburgh Steelers,Passer Rating,1965,Following Season,First Playoff Berth,1982,1994 Season,Playoffs,Vince Lombardi, | |
| MVPs and Super Bowl seasons (1995–97) | |
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Favre (in a brown suit) with teammate Reggie White presenting President Bill Clinton with a Packers jacket in a May 1997 ceremony following the Packers' Super Bowl victory that year.
In 1995, Favre won the first of his three AP MVP awards. Favre led the Packers to an 11–5 record, Green Bay's best record in nearly thirty years.[26] Favre passed for a career high of 4,413 yards, 38 touchdowns, and recorded a quarterback rating of 99.5, which was the highest of his career until he recorded a rating of 107.2 during the 2009 season.[27] Favre also tied an NFL record by passing for at least two touchdowns in twelve consecutive games, a feat he accomplished over the 1994-1995 seasons. The Packers advanced to the NFC Championship Game after upsetting the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Game. The Packers lost the NFC Championship game to the Dallas Cowboys, marking the third year in a row the Packers season was ended by the Cowboys in the playoffs. Favre helped the Packers advance farther in the playoffs than any other Packer team since 1967, the season the Packers won Super Bowl II.[28]
While being treated for various injuries, Brett Favre developed an addiction to vicodin, which became publicly known when he suffered a seizure during a hospital visit. Amid an NFL investigation, he went public to avoid any rumors about his condition. In May 1996, he went into treatment and remained in rehabilitation for 46 days. Had he chosen not to go, the NFL would have imposed a $900,000 fine.[29][30] Favre led the Packers to their best season in 30 years in the 1996 season, winning his second consecutive MVP award in the process. The Packers led the NFL in points scored as well as fewest points scored against. Green Bay tied the Denver Broncos for the NFL's best regular season record, 13–3, defeated the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field in the playoffs. The Packers advanced to Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome, a short drive from Favre's hometown.[31]
In Super Bowl XXXI, Favre completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the second play of the game, Favre threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to receiver Andre Rison. Favre also completed an 81-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman in the second quarter (then a Super Bowl record). Favre rushed for 12 yards and another touchdown, as the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots, 35–21. In their 19 games of the season, the Packers had a turnover ratio of plus 24, and outscored their opponents 100–48 in the playoffs.[31]
Favre and the Packers continued their dominance of the NFC during the next season. Favre was named AP co-MVP of the league along with Detroit Lions' running back Barry Sanders, his third straight award. Also, Green Bay advanced through the playoffs to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. After being heavily favored by 13 points, the Packers lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII by the score of 31–24 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, ending the NFC's 13-year Super Bowl winning streak. Favre completed 25 of 42 passes for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 interception and 1 fumble in the losing effort.[19]
Tags:2009,1996,1997,Nfc Champion,Super Bowl Xxxii, | |
| Mid-career (1998–2002) | |
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Favre, standing, scans the Bears' defense during the 2004 season.
The Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in a wild card playoff game in 1998. Favre had rallied the team with a touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman with 1:56 remaining in the game to put the Packers up 27–23. However, Steve Young responded with a touchdown of his own to Terrell Owens with three seconds remaining to end the Packers season.[32] Favre and the Packers failed for the first time since 1994 to at least reach the NFC championship game.[33]
In the regular season finale of 2001, Favre was the target of minor controversy when, in a game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium, he was sacked by the Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. It was Strahan's lone sack of the game and gave him the NFL's single–season sack record of 22.5, which topped Mark Gastineau's record of 22 set in 1984.[34] Some analysts, such as Mike Freeman of The New York Times, expressed the opinion that Favre allowed himself to be sacked in order to allow Strahan to set the record.[35]
On March 1, 2001, Favre signed a "lifetime" contract extension, which technically was a 10-year contract extension worth around $100 million.[36]
Favre and the Packers continued posting positive results through the next few seasons. Through the 2004 season, the Packers had the longest streak of non-losing seasons (13) in the NFL, despite an 8–8 record under coach Ray Rhodes, a 9–7 season under coach Mike Sherman, and no playoff berths in either 1999 or 2000. The streak ended in 2005, with the Packers finishing 4–12 overall.
Tags:2001,2004, | |
| Later career & personal tragedies (2003–06) | |
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One day after his father died of a heart attack or stroke,[37] Favre decided to play in a December 22, 2003, Monday Night Football game against the Oakland Raiders. The Packers traveled to Oakland where Favre passed for four touchdowns in the first half and 399 total yards in a 41–7 victory over the Raiders on international television (even receiving applause from "Raider Nation"). He completed 73.3% of his passes and finished the game with a passer rating of 154.9[38] – the highest of Favre's career and just 3.4 points shy of perfect. Afterwards, 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."[39] He then went to his father's funeral in Pass Christian, Mississippi. Favre won an ESPY Award for his Monday Night Football performance.[40]
A notable game in the 2004 season in which Favre and the Packers finished 10–6 was against the New York Giants. During the game, Favre suffered a concussion. He did not receive medical clearance to re-enter the game. Despite the concussion, Favre threw a 28-yard touchdown to Javon Walker on a fourth down play. Afterwards it was reported that Favre did not remember throwing the touchdown pass.[41] Favre also had two significant touchdown streaks of note during the season. He had completed at least one touchdown pass in 36 consecutive games over the 2002-2004 seasons which at the time was the second longest streak in NFL history. Also, during the 2004 post-season, he broke Dan Marino's record for consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass in the post season. Favre went on to throw a touchdown pass in twenty consecutive playoff games which is still an NFL record.
After the death of his father, a series of events related to Favre's family were reported in the media. In October 2004, ten months after the death of Favre's father, his brother-in-law, Casey Tynes, was killed in an all-terrain vehicle accident on Favre's Mississippi property.[42]
Soon after in 2004, Favre's wife, Deanna Favre, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following aggressive treatment through 2004, she recovered. She created The Deanna Favre Hope Foundation which supports breast cancer education and women's breast imaging and diagnosis services for all women, including those who are medically underserved.[42]
Brett Favre, third from the left; his wife Deanna, second from the left; and First Lady Laura Bush, third from the right; attend a ribbon cutting ceremony in Kiln, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina.
In late August 2005, Favre's family suffered another setback: Hurricane Katrina blew through Mississippi, destroying his family's home there; however, none of his family members were injured.[43] Brett and Deanna's property in Hattiesburg, Mississippi was also extensively damaged by the storm.[44] Favre elected to continue to play in the 2005 season.
For the 2005 season, the Packers, despite throwing for over 3,000 yards for a record 14th consecutive time, Favre had a below average season with only 20 touchdown passes and a league-leading 29 interceptions. The loss of guards Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle to free agency along with key injuries to Javon Walker, Ahman Green, Bubba Franks, among others, hampered Favre and the team. His passer rating was 70.9, 31st in the NFL and the worst single season rating of his career.[45] After the disappointing season, many speculated that Favre would retire.[46] However, on April 26, 2006, Favre announced that he would remain with the team for the 2006 season. Despite earlier comments that the 2006 season would be his last, Favre announced in a press conference on May 6, 2006, that he had not ruled out the possibility of returning beyond the 2006 season.[47]
In the 2006 season, Favre suffered his first career shutout against the Chicago Bears. Later in the season, the New England Patriots shut out the Packers in a game where he was injured before halftime and could not complete the game.[48][49] On September 24, 2006, he became just the second quarterback in NFL history to record 400 touchdown passes (Dan Marino being the first). He connected with rookie wide receiver Greg Jennings on a 5-yard pass that Jennings turned into a 75-yard touchdown play during a win against the Detroit Lions.[50] He also became the first player ever to complete 5,000 passes in his career. On December 31, 2006, the Packers played their last game of the season, winning 26–7 against the Chicago Bears. It was his 22nd career win versus the Bears, moving him to an all-time record of 22–8.
Tags:2002, | |
| Milestone season (2007) | |
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On February 26, 2007, Brett Favre underwent minor arthroscopic ankle surgery in Green Bay, Wisconsin to remove a buildup of bone spurs in his left ankle.[51]
Favre broke Dan Marino's touchdown pass record on September 30, 2007, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Favre began the 2007 season trailing in a number of career NFL passing records. On September 16, 2007, Favre and the Packers defeated the New York Giants to give Favre his record setting 149th win, passing John Elway. On September 30, Favre threw a 16 yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings in a game against the Vikings. This was his 421st NFL touchdown pass, and set a new all time record, surpassing Dan Marino's 420.
On November 4, 2007, after the Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 33–22, Favre became only the 3rd quarterback to have defeated all thirty-one other current NFL teams. He joined Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to do this, just the week after the two of them achieved the accomplishment.[52] On Thanksgiving 2007, Favre led the Packers to a 37–26 win over the Lions, and brought the Packers to a 10–1 record. He won the Galloping Gobbler award, given by the broadcasters at Fox to the game MVP. Favre threw three touchdown passes for his 63rd career game with at least three touchdowns, surpassing Marino's former record of 62.[53]
Favre led the Packers to a 13–3 regular season record, the NFC North championship, and the second seed in the NFC playoffs. Prior to the Packers' playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, Favre stated his desire to continue playing football for another season.[54] In the Divisional Playoffs, Favre threw three touchdowns as the Packers cruised to a 42–20 victory over the Seahawks at a snowy Lambeau Field. The Packers' season ended the following week when they suffered a 23–20 overtime loss in the NFC Championship Game to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. Negotiating sub-zero temperatures, Favre amassed 236 passing yards and two touchdowns, but also threw an interception in overtime that set up the Giants' game-winning field goal. Favre's 90-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver in the second quarter was the longest pass in Packers playoff history, and it extended Favre's NFL record for consecutive postseason games with a touchdown pass to 18.[55] Favre stated after the game that he would make a decision more quickly than he has in the past regarding whether he would return for another season.
Favre's milestone 2007 season culminated with his selection to the 2008 Pro Bowl as the starting quarterback Tags:2007,2007 Season, | |
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