Farewell to a legend: Brett Favre retires after 17 NFL seasons

At about 8:30 am this morning, i found out that the legendary Brett Favre was indeed retiring from the NFL. Now as a Bears fan, mixed emotions were definitely running though my head. Part of me was happy because we all know that Favre has been a Bears-killer throughout his career (22-10 in his career against Chicago & 13-3 at Soldier Field).

I was happy to see Favre return for a 17th NFL season & become the NFL’s all-time passing yardage leader (61,665) & all-time leader in touchdown passes thrown (442). Strangely enough, Favre also became the NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions thrown (288) earlier during the 2007 season.

Brett Favre holds an incredible number of quarterbacking statistics, which includes 253 consecutive starts by a quarterback.

Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning (160 consecutive starts) might have a shot of topping this & will need to start every game for the next 6 seasons (Manning would be 37) to break Favre’s record.

Favre also has 160 wins by a starting quarterback. Manning is 2nd on the list with 105 & has averaged roughly 11 wins since joining the Colts in 1998. At this pace, Manning could have a shot at surpassing this in 2013, which would be Peyton’s 15th season in the NFL.

Favre is the only quarterback in league history to win the MVP Award in 3 consecutive seasons.

 

To show you how rare this is, there has only been 2 other players that have won multiple MVP awards since 1957: Jim Brown (1957-58) & Joe Montana (1989-90).

Favre also holds very impressive records that includes most seasons with 3,000 yards passing (16), most consecutive postseason games with a touchdown pass (18) & most postseason passing yards (5,311).

Favre finished just 1 game shy of tying Joe Montana for most postseason games played with 23.

Pop quiz: Who was the quarterback in Green Bay that Brett Favre replaced due to injury during the 1992 season?

If you said Don Majkowski, then you are correct!

Back in 2001, Favre signed a 10 year contract extension worth $100 million that made him (at the time) the highest paid player in NFL history. This would later be topped by Michael Vick’s $130 million deal in 2004.

My favorite game involving Favre was the 2003 MNF game against Oakland, which was Favre’s first game since the death of his father.

To sum up how well Favre played in that game, he was able to surpass 300 passing yards (which he only did in 1 other game that season) & throw for 4 passing touchdowns (which he equaled in also just 1 other game that season) BY HALFTIME!!!!

Peyton Manning does have a realistic shot at breaking some of Favre’s astonishing records by the time his career is over, but until Manning is able to win THREE consecutive MVP awards, then i’ll have to put Favre over them.

How tough is it to be a 3-time MVP in 3 straight years?

 
In the NBA, Bill Russell (1961-63), Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68) & Larry Bird (1984-86) are the only three-time consecutive MVP winners, but the league has not had a three-time repeat winner over the past 22 years.

 

Phoenix’s Steve Nash nearly pulled this off last season, but was trounced by Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki to ruin Nash’s chances of not only becoming the 4th player ever to win 3 consecutive MVP awards, but the 1st point guard to do so.

In the MLB, only one player from either league has won the MVP award in 3 consecutive years since 1931, which is Barry Bonds (2001-04).

 

In the NHL, only Bobby Orr (1969-71) & Wayne Gretzky (1979-86) have won the MVP award in 3 or more consecutive seasons.

 

So let’s salute #4 on an extraordinary career & wish him well on his future endeveaors. In the near future, i expect for the Packers to honor Favre with a statue at Lambeau Field.

Until then,

Mattie T

Sports Writer for BMS Radio Chicago

www.BMSRadio.com

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