With just under five minutes left in the first quarter, it happens. Brett Favre throws a beautiful pass to Greg Jennings right down the middle of the field for a 16-yard gain. Finally it had happened, Favre had thrown his 421st touchdown pass surpassing the previous NFL record of 420 set by Dan Marino. When asked how he felt about breaking the record, Favre said, "To win, and get this behind us, is a great feeling.” (Yahoo Sports).
Some say that at 38 years old, there’s no way someone should or could be still playing the rough sport we all know as professional football. Some say 38 is too old and that Favre should have retired a few years ago. But as I say, if ain’t broke don’t fix it. Favre may be getting up there in age, but he is by far one of the best quarterbacks in the league, still.
Favre has been in the league for 16 years, and the improvements and accomplishments he has made will be ones that are talked about throughout the league for years to come. Drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, Favres success was very limited. In fact there was no success at all. With the Falcons, Favre had five passing attempts with zero completions and two interceptions. Now that really is pitiful. Despite the lack of success Favre had in his first NFL season, the Packers traded their number one draft pick for Favre. Upon arrival, Favre did not even pass his physical for the Packers, but the coaches told the Doctors to pass him anyway.
Who would have known that trading a first round draft pick for a highly unsuccessful 22 year old kid, would later become the greatest decision the Packers franchise would ever make? Favre’s first chance to play with the packers would come in week two of the 1992 season. His chance to play was nothing special. He went in for just a few plays to give then starting quarterback Don Majkowski a breather. Then no one would have known that the following week would truly start Favre’s NFL career.
In the first quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 13, 1992, Don Majkowski got injured, forcing the Packers to replace him with none other that Brett Favre. The team was losing and the fans were booing, but this did not faze Favre. Determined to show everyone that he wasn’t just some kid from Mississippi, Favre came into the game with his head held high. Throughout the game, Favre overthrew many receivers digging the team into a 17-3 deficit. On the brink of losing the game, Favre started the fourth quarter as if it were the start of the game score still 0-0. The Packers ended up coming back to win the game 24-23, giving Favre his first ever NFL victory.
Throughout his career, Favre would go to numerous Pro Bowls, setting an NFC single season touchdown record of 38 and then 39 the following year, win numerous league MVP awards, and fight an addiction to painkillers after suffering from a broken ankle. Favre has attended two super bowls in 1997 and 1998, winning the first. Brett Favre has become won of the best quarterbacks in the leagues history and is definitely Hall of Fame material. Favre continues to improve season after season and even at his “old” age is a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.
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