The hall of fame career of Brett Favre may have finally come to an end today as sources within the Vikings have reported his ankle was not healing the way he hoped and has to call it quits. Although the report has yet to be confirmed by coach Brad Childress or even Favre himself, we can take the chance to review his heralded career and compare him to other current and past greats.
Favre’s Stats (1991-2009 Seasons)
 | ||
| Favre throws picks in his Wranglers. |
Completion Percentage: 62.0
Yards: 69,329
Touchdowns: 497
Interceptions:317
Championships: 1
MVPs: 3
Teams Held Hostage Because of Retirements: 3
Favre’s statistics are impressive, if not great, holding all time records in yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts, pass completions, interceptions and consecutive games started. He is a sure fire hall of famer who is in the discussion of greatest quarterback of all time. All this being said, I still believe he was overrated, and in the 2000s, I would have taken Tom Brady and Peyton Manning over him to play on my team.
From 2000-2009 Favre won a total of 3 playoffs games and in that time, set the record for most interceptions thrown during a single playoff game (6). Fittingly, his final throw in the pros was a back- breaking interception thrown across his body during what would have been a game winning drive in the 2009 NFC Championship game. The Vikings were within field goal range and were merely trying to burn more clock and get into better position. The opposing Saints were able to intercept his forced throw, run out the clock, win the coin toss in overtime, and end it with a field goal. Favre, forcing the ball as he ran to his right all the way across the field to his left, into coverage, was an example of his “gun slinger” mentality and how it was a double-edged sword.
Favre will forever be one of football’s most prolific statistical passers, having taken pretty much all the records Dan Marino had to his name. I believe greatness is still measured in Super Bowls first, then statistics second. The same argument applies to the Montana vs. Marino debate of the 1980s, or even Brady vs. Manning. Marino had the records, Montana had the rings. Montana is better. Of course Montana was no slouch in stats either.
To me the most egregious crimes Brett committed were his constant retirements. Starting in 2005 Favre began talking of hanging up the cleats. He claimed he had nothing left in the tank, and would have to take some time to decide on his future. His indecision prompted the Packers to invest their first round draft choice on Aaron Rodgers , a quarterback. Favre returned for the 2005 season, and repeated his antics in 2006, where he even announced retirement. This forced Green Bay to prepare Rodgers to become the starter and adjust their plans, only to have Brett return in the summer. He would continue the trend until the summer of 2008 when Green Bay finally had enough and declared Rodgers their permanent starter. They then traded Favre to the New York Jets just a week before the regular season began.
After an unremarkable season in New York which saw a second half collapse and missed playoffs, he decided to call it quits again and was out right released by the Jets. Another offseason of speculation ensued on the sports networks, driving America insane, and Brett eventually was swayed to join the Minnesota Vikings, the arch-nemesis of the Packers. Having successfully destroyed the hearts and minds of Cheesehead Nation who still worshiped at the First Church Of Brett, he saved his best for last in being the main difference for the Vikes to bring them to the NFL title game.
After a well played game, Brett’s much ballyhooed gunslinger style bit him and his team in the butts with his awful final minute pick. He proceeded to leave the Vikings hanging as to what he planned on doing the following offseason, but with another year in his contract remaining and 13 million dollars due his way most everyone expected his return. Minnesota proceeded to not pay attention to their quarterback position, passing on some enticing prospects in the draft only to be out of luck this August.
Favre’s legacy will forever be tainted with how he ended his career. Leaving Green Bay to bounce around to New York and to the rival Minnesota Vikings will tarnish the image of him holding the Lombardi trophy in Super Bowl 31. In my opinion he got too much support from sports media, and most of his accolades were eventually undeserved. Throwing so many touch downs is great, but games can be directly affected by turnovers in a way touchdowns cannot. As the second decade of his career progressed, his interception woes became so bad one would watch his games waiting for the other shoe to drop. It dropped every season since 2000, and even dropped in the 2009 NFL Championship game, ending what had been a top 3 season in Favre’s career with a thud. Brett will end up in the Hall of Fame, as he deserves to be, but the final few years of his career were just a bit overplayed. I personally, will not miss him.
 |
| A lasting image of Brett as a quarterback |
No comments:
Post a Comment