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Number Crunching: #4
by Chris Brophy
15/4/2009
After looking way back into the NFL’s past with number three last time out we find ourselves right back at the present day with the number four as we recall one of the great players and characters of modern times. We’ll also see a number of modern day players on the list of honourable mentions but more on them later. Let’s get to our #4 all time great first:
FD’s All Time #4: Brett Favre, QB (Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers & New York Jets)
 If you are new (or new-ish) to the NFL in recent times you might actually find Brett Favre a frustrating guy in that we seemed to spend half of most recent off-seasons hanging on to his will he won’t he; has he hasn’t he routine but in the end none of that really matters. What does matter is that Favre is one of the greatest and most interesting players of modern times and now that he has finally called it a day (although never say never!) this is a pretty good time to reflect on his career instead of spending time in the off-season wondering if it’ll continue.
Favre was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round of the 1991 draft out of Southern Mississippi. The Falcons were coached by Jerry Glanville at the time and he did not approve of the drafting of Favre and never warmed to him. Chris Miller was the established Falcons QB at the time and Favre only seen the field once in his rookie season at the back end of a 56-17 thrashing by the Redskins. Favre replaced Miller late on and went 0-5 with two interceptions. His first ever NFL TD pass was to Redskins linebacker Andre Collins (who returned one of the two ints for a TD)!
The following off-season Packers GM Ron Wolf would send the Packers first round pick to the Falcons (#17 overall) in exchange for Favre. Out of interest, the Falcons traded back to spots to #19 and spent that pick on a running back named Tony Smith who would only last three NFL seasons and only manage 329 yards in his career. The #17 pick became Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith.
Favre sat behind Don Majkowski at first but was soon the starter as The Majic Man struggled. Favre’s first ever completion as an NFL player was to himself for -7 yards! Favre first made his mark replacing Majkowski in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals and despite several fumbles and some booing from the crowd Favre led a late comeback that seen the Pack win 24-23.
The following week Favre would make his first career start in a 17-3 victory over the Steelers. It would be the start of his consecutive start streak that would last 16 years and 269 games (291 including post season). Favre would go on to take the Packers to a 9-7 mark in the 1992 season as they just missed the play-offs but within that season had been a six game winning streak the team’s longest run of wins since 1965! Favre threw for over 3000 yards and made his first pro bowl.
The following year Favre would again make the pro bowl and finally help the team make the play-offs, something they hadn’t done since 1982. He would repeat the trick the following year and that marked the first time the Pack had made the play-offs in consecutive seasons since the days of Vince Lombardi!
 After signing a new five year contract following the 1994 season Favre would enter the greatest phase of his career. Favre would win the first of three NFL MVP awards in 1995 and pass for 4413 yards and 38 touchdowns. The Packers 11-5 mark was a thirty year high and they made the NFC Championship Game. The following year would see Favre court controversy with an addition to painkillers being made public but he would again win the NFL MVP award and take the Pack to the promised land of the Super Bowl where Favre would throw two TD passes including a then record 81 yard bomb to Antonio Freeman as well as rushing for a TD. The Pack would be victorious over the New England Patriots 35-21 and the World Championship retuned to Green Bay for the first time in three decades.
The following year would see Favre win his third straight MVP award (sharing it with Lions running back Barry Sanders) and become the first player to ever win the award three times. He’d also lead the Packers back to the Super Bowl but this time they would be denied by the John Elway-led Denver Broncos.
Favre’s career then became a chase to get back to those glory years and whilst he would never quite reach those heady heights again, his presence kept the Pack competitive and it also helped him rack up most of the significant NFL career passing records. He stands atop of all QB’s in NFL history as he steps off the playing field for good with the most yardage (65127), most TD passes (464), most completions (5720), most attempts (9280), most games with three or more TD passes (65), most regular season wins by a QB (169) and also, most career interceptions (310).
The interception record might be a blemish on everything else but it tells you about how Favre played the game. He was a gunslinger, never afraid to take chances and never afraid to take the blame if it didn’t work out. He carried the Packers for long stretches of his career and in 2007, after several seasons not quite at the high level we had come to expect, Favre looked like he might yet again taste glory and finish his career on the ultimate high. He led the Packers to a 13-3 record and home field advantage in the play-offs. After crushing the Seahawks in the divisional round they faced the New York Giants but lost 23-20 in overtime.
The sad part of this is had Favre made that Super Bowl he could probably have retired a happy man but the fact they came so close meant after originally retiring he had a change of heart. The Packers had already prepared to move on without Favre so he was dealt to the New York Jets. After a bright start to the Jets season where they looked on course for the play-offs and were the first team to beat the Tennessee Titans the mojo disappeared and Favre’s poor form at season’s end certainly played a part in the Jets missing out on post-season.
Favre won’t be remembered for being a Jet though and you’ll have to remind people he was ever a Falcon. He’ll be remembered as being the face of the Packers in their return to glory in the 1990’s after years in the wilderness.
We’ll see you in Canton in five years time Mr Favre!
Role of Honourable Mentions:
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Adam Vinatieri, Kicker (New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts)
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John Kasey, Kicker (Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers)
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Jason Hansen, Kicker (Detroit Lions)
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Reggie Roby, Punter (Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers)
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Jim Harbaugh, Quarterback (Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers)
 Arguably the great clutch kicker of all-time, Adam Vinatieri is still plying his trade in the NFL after 14 seasons. He’s a four time world champion and twice made the vital game winning kicks. Could he be the next pure placekicker in the Hall of Fame? Very possibly.
John Kasey is the Carolina Panthers only original member from their 1995 debut squad. He’s also one of the finer kickers of recent times. He may have only made one pro bowl (1996) but he is third all time in 50+ yard field goals and the only man in NFL history to hit four or more field goals of 46 yards or more in a single game. The Panthers gave the 39 year old a new four year deal this past season!
Another veteran kicker of today’s league is Jason Hansen who is coming off a season where despite the team going winless he made eight field goals of 50 yards or more! Next year will be his 18th NFL year and he has a career field goal percentage of 82%.
Reggie Roby made the 1980’s all-decade team as punter and was arguably the Dolphins best defensive weapon in the years of the Marino air attack. He would also make the pro bowl as a Redskin in the 1990’s.
John Harbaugh is the brother of Raven’s head coach John and also currently a head coach in his own right at Stanford University. He was drafted by the Bears in 1987 and played there for seven seasons where he would lead them to post season play in 1990 and 1991 but his real glory came when he won Comeback Player of the Year as an Indianapolis Colt in 1995 and almost got them to the Super Bowl. He made the pro bowl that year also and is fondly remembered by Colts fans where he earned the nickname Captain Comeback.
Learn More about past NFL greats in our History Archive
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