Image via Complex Original
Today Brett Lorenzo Favre celebrates his 45th year of life. Unfortunately, over the course of the last five or so, Brett has managed to tarnish some of the earlier shine of his career. There was the constant retiring/un-retiring that fed the ESPN machine for hours a day, the terrible late-game interceptions, and, of course, the dick pics.
But there's way more to Brett Favre than dick pics, cheap electric shaver commercials, and multiple retirements. Once upon a time, Brett Favre was not only one of the most exciting players in the NFL to watch, but statistically one of the greatest to ever line up behind center. There were Super Bowls and MVPs and emotional Monday Night victories long before there were reports of him texting his junk to a female reporter. And until Peyton Manning throws five more touchdowns, Brett is still the league's all-time leader in touchdown passes to go along with the dozens of his other passing records. How soon we all forget, right?
So, to honor the Gunslinger on his born day, we present 12 Reasons Why Brett Favre Deserves More Credit.
From Seventh-String To Hall of Fame
Brett Favre went to the only college that offered him a scholarship–Southern Miss. The only problem is Southern Miss wanted Brett to play defensive back. Because Brett was sold on being a quarterback, he started out his freshman year as the SEVENTH-STRING QB on the team. Fast-forward three games and Brett not only took over the starting position in the second half of a game against Tulane, but led the Golden Eagles to a comeback victory with two touchdown passes despite vomiting in warm-ups due to a hangover. Or, as Michael Jordan calls it, "the flu."
Had 30 Inches of Small Intestine Removed Before Senior Season At Southern Miss
Before the start of his senior season at Southern Miss, Brett was involved in a near-fatal car accident. While driving around a bend only tenths of a mile away from his parents' house, Favre lost control as his car flipped three times until it came to rest against a tree. It took one of Favre's brothers smashing out a window with a golf club to get him out of the vehicle and to the hospital. In the ambulance with his mother sitting next to him Favre could only ask her, "Will I be able to play football again?" Doctors would later remove 30 inches of his small intestine.
Six weeks later, on September 8th, Favre led Southern Miss to a comeback victory over Alabama.
Diagnosed With Avascular Necrosis After '91 Season, the Same Condition That Ended Bo Jackson's Career
During a physical after being traded from the Falcons to the Packers in 1992, Favre was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip, the same degenerative condition that ended Bo Jackson's NFL career. The doctors recommended that Favre fail the physical to nullify the trade. Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf overruled them.
Brought Reggie White (And Championship Football) Back To Green Bay
During a November game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brett Favre showed his grit by leading the Packers to a 27-24 upset victory, despite suffering a first-degree separated shoulder early in the game after a sack from Reggie White. White was so impressed with Favre's toughness that he later admitted that the game had a direct impact on him joining the Pack. Reggie wanted a Super Bowl, and felt his best chance to get one was with Favre.
Only Player To Win Three-Straight MVPs
1995: 11-5 record. 4,413 yards, 38 touchdowns, 99.5 rating, threw at least two touchdowns in 12 consecutive games, got the Packers farther in the playoffs then they had been since 1967.
1996: 13-3 record. 3,899 yards, 39 touchdowns, 95.8 rating, won Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots 35-21. Became the first and only quarterback to score 3 touchdowns and not win MVP.
1997: 13-3 record. 3,867 yards, 35 touchdowns, 92.6 rating, lost Super Bowl XXXII to John Elway and the Denver Broncos even after throwing for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Reminder: this was before breathing on wide receivers resulted in a defensive holding penalty.
The King of the Cold Weather Game
The idea that Brett Favre was great in the cold weather isn't just an old myth, it's a statistic. The man was 44-17 all-time in games played below 40 degrees, and was 39-6 during his first 45 starts at those temperatures. All hail the king of the Frozen Tundra.
Threw For At Least 30 Touchdowns in 9 Seasons
That, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call consistency. Brett also owns the record for most seasons leading the league in touchdown passes.
For reference, Eli Manning has only thrown for 30 touchdowns once...in 2010...when he threw 31.
More Yards, Touchdowns, & Completions Than Any Quarterback In NFL History
Let's talk records. Can you guess who is the NFL's all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns? I bet you can.
Not only did Brett Favre play a long time, he played a long time effectively. How effectively? Well, at the time of his retirement, he owned or shared over 200 NFL records and still owns or shares over 140.
Touchdowns: 508
Completions: 6,300
Attempts: 10,169
Yards: 71,838
NFL Ironman: More Consecutive Starts Than Any Player In NFL History
Speaking of records, the most impressive Brett Favre stat may have nothing to do with his ability and everything with his toughness. Favre started an astounding 297-straight regular season games and 321-straight games if you count the postseason. The feat of starting that many games without a week off is all the more impressive when you consider the number of injuries he battled throughout his career. Here's a taste:
first-degree shoulder separation, deep thigh bruise, severely bruised left hip, severely sprained left ankle, wind knocked out coupled with coughing up blood, sprained right thumb, right elbow tendinitis, left mid-foot sprain, sprained lateral collateral ligament of the left knee, broken left thumb, softball-sized bruise of the left hamstring, mild concussion, sprained right hand, injured ulnar nerve of the right elbow, bone spurs on the left ankle, torn right biceps, pulled groin, stress fracture of the left ankle coupled with an avulsion fracture of calcaneus, and a sprained sternoclavicular joint of the right shoulder.
Peyton may break his touchdown record this season, but there's a chance nobody will ever top this one.
Cameod In One Of The Most Popular Comedies Of All-Time
What the hell is Brett Favre doing here? Winning, that's what.
Was he good in his cameo? No, he wasn't. But the movie was still hilarious and the fact that Brett Favre was the "Brett" Cameron Diaz referenced throughout the movie made up for any acting deficiencies. Hate on, Ben Stiller. Brett Fav...re was the climax of one of your biggest movies.
Threw Four Touchdowns In One Half On MNF a Day After His Father Died
One day after his father died of a heart attack/stroke, Favre decided to play on Monday Night Football in Oakland against the Raiders. Simply lacing them up in the face of such a tragedy would've been a feat in itself, but not only did Favre overcome his emotions to start the game, he threw four touchdowns (and a perfect QB Rating) in the first half to eventually finish the game with 399 yards and a 41-7 victory. His quote, afterwards:
"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."
That, right there, is the stuff of legend.
Only Quarterback In History Over the Age of 40 To Win A Playoff Game
Think about how good Favre was at the age of 40. At 40 years old with the Vikings, Brett Favre threw for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns and lead his team to a 13-3 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship game. In the process not only did he become the first 40 year-old to win a playoff game (he actually won two), but he broke Joe Montana's playoff records for pass completions and yards, broke Dan Marino's record for four-touchdown games, became the first QB to defeat all 32 NFL teams.
Tom Brady is 37 and Peyton Manning is 38. It is yet to be seen if either of them can continue their winning ways after their fourth decade.
Salue. Happy Birthday, Brett.