Brett Favre

Brett Lorenzo Favre (born October 10, 1969 in Gulfport, Mississippi) has been the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers American football team in the National Football League since 1992. Many consider Favre one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL; he is all but guaranteed a spot in the Football Hall of Fame.

Green Bay

Favre completed his first official NFL pass - to himself - on September 13, 1992, in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Starting the game in the second half, Favre's pass attempt was deflected by Ray Seals. Favre caught the deflection, but went down for a loss of 7 yards.

Related Topics:
September 13 - 1992 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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He has started every Green Bay Packers game after September 20, 1992, when Don Majkowski went down injured against the Cincinnati Bengals. Favre was summoned from the bench and proceeded to lead the team to a comeback victory, throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to Kittrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining. Favre was so thrilled that he nearly forgot that he was supposed to be the holder on the extra point try. Next week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers began the longest consecutive starts streak for quarterbacks in NFL history, a number that continues to grow despite numerous injuries, including a broken thumb on his right (throwing) hand that he played with for all of 2003.

Related Topics:
Green Bay Packers - September 20 - 1992 - Don Majkowski - Cincinnati Bengals - Pittsburgh Steelers - 2003

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In the early years under head coach Mike Holmgren, Favre struggled to keep his game under control, often making high risk-high reward throws that ended in too many interceptions. Eventually he learned Holmgren's system and became one of the league's best quarterbacks, winning the first of three MVP awards in 1995, a season in which the Packers made it to the NFC Championship Game, upsetting the San Francisco 49ers to go further in the playoffs than any Packer team since the Vince Lombardi era.

Related Topics:
Mike Holmgren - NFC Championship Game - San Francisco 49ers - Vince Lombardi

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But troubles surface during the following offseason. In May 1996, Favre admitted that he had developed an addiction to painkillers, specifically Vicodin, and checked himself into the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. His addiction had grown so intense that he admitted, after vomiting up the pills, he would wash them off and swallow them again. His girlfriend, Deanna Tynes, threatened to leave him if he didn't seek treatment.

Related Topics:
May - 1996 - Vicodin - Menninger Clinic - Topeka, Kansas - Deanna Tynes

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Favre recovered and led the Packers to their greatest season in 30 years, winning his second consecutive MVP award in the process. Green Bay compiled an NFL-best regular season record of 13-3, dispatched San Francisco and Carolina at Lambeau Field in the playoffs, and advanced to Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome, a short drive from Kiln.

Related Topics:
San Francisco - Carolina - Super Bowl XXXI - Louisiana Superdome

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Favre threw two touchdown passes over 50 yards and scored another touchdown rushing, and the Packers won the Vince Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots, 35-21.

Related Topics:
Vince Lombardi Trophy - Super Bowl XXXI - New England Patriots

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Favre and the Packers continued their dominance of the NFC the next season. Favre was named co-MVP of the league with Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, his third straight award. Green Bay fought their way to Super Bowl XXXII but lost to John Elway and the Denver Broncos by the score of 31-24 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego.

Related Topics:
NFC - Detroit Lions - Running back - Barry Sanders - Super Bowl XXXII - John Elway - Denver Broncos - Jack Murphy Stadium - San Diego

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Favre and the Packers continued posting positive results through the next few seasons. The Packers have not had a losing season since Favre took the helm, though struggles and coaching changes contributed to 8-8 and 9-7 seasons and no playoff births in either 1999 or 2000. Favre threw six interceptions in a 45-17 divisional playoff loss to the St. Louis Rams in the 2001 playoffs, and has only two playoff wins in his last six tries (including Super Bowl XXXII).

Related Topics:
1999 - 2000 - St. Louis Rams - Super Bowl XXXII

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One of the defining moments of Favre's career took place on December 22, 2003, in a Monday Night Football game against the Oakland Raiders. The day before, Irvin Favre, who had been his high school coach and lifelong mentor, died suddenly of a heart attack. Favre elected to play and passed for four touchdowns in the first half, and 399 yards in a 41-7 destruction of the Raiders on national television (receiving applause from the highly partisan "Raider Nation"). 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." He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. He then went to his father's funeral in Pass Christian, Mississippi and returned in time to lead the Packers to a 2003 NFC North title with a win over the Denver Broncos. Favre won an ESPY Award for his feat.

Related Topics:
December 22 - 2003 - Monday Night Football - Oakland Raiders - Pass Christian, Mississippi - Denver Broncos - ESPY Award

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With a 17-yard pass to running back Ahman Green on September 18, 2005, in a game against the Cleveland Browns, Favre became only the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for 50,000 yards or more, along with Dan Marino and John Elway.

Related Topics:
Ahman Green - September 18 - 2005 - Cleveland Browns - Dan Marino - John Elway

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