Brett Favre

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Favre played college football for the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and was selected in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons, where he spent one season as a backup. Traded to the Packers, he became their starter early in the 1992 season and revitalized a franchise which had been in a period of decline since the late 1960s. During his 16 seasons with Green Bay, he led the team to 11 playoff appearances, seven division titles, four NFC Championship Games, two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, and one championship title in Super Bowl XXXI, the team's first in nearly three decades. Favre was traded in 2008 to the New York Jets, where he played one year, and spent his final two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. His 2009 campaign for the Vikings saw him guide them to a division title and NFC Championship Game appearance, while having one of his strongest statistical seasons. At the time of his retirement, Favre was the NFL leader in passing completions, passing attempts, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and quarterback wins. He holds the NFL record for career interceptions. From 1995 to 1997, he was named Most Valuable Player three times, the most the award was consecutively received. Favre also received 11 Pro Bowl and three first-team All-Pro selections. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2022, Favre began to face controversy for the Mississippi welfare funds scandal after investigations determined $8 million intended for welfare programs went to Favre or causes he championed. Favre has denied the allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against the State Auditor of Mississippi and two media personalities over their coverage of him.

In Their Own Story

On the sideline, Brett Favre wiped mud from his jersey, his eyes locked on the scoreboard with a intensity that seemed to stop time. He didn't walk onto the field; he charged it, helmet in hand, ready to throw the ball into the teeth of a blizzard. The crowd roared, a sound that vibrated through the frozen earth, as he stepped up to the line, the weight of history and hope resting on his shoulders.

Reader's Guide

Brett Favre was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, the son of Bonita Ann (née French) and Irvin Ernest Favre, and raised in the small town of Kiln. Both of his parents were schoolteachers in the Hancock County School District. He is of part French ancestry. One of his ancestors is Simon Favre, a Louisiana Creole and an influential figure in Spanish West Florida in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; Brett descends from Simon's Choctaw Native American mistress, Pistikiokonay, and thus his grandfather was affiliated with the Choctaw. Brett was the second of four children and attended Hancock North Central High School, where he played baseball and football. Favre started for the Hancock North Central baseball team as an eighth-grader and earned five varsity letters. He played quarterback, lineman, strong safety, placekicker, and punter in a primarily option, run-oriented offense coached by his father, Irvin Favre, who was the head coach of the Hawks football team. After high school, Southern Mississippi offered Favre a football scholarship at the urging of assistant coach McHale, which was the only one he received. Southern Miss wanted him to play defensive back, but Favre wanted to play quarterback instead. Favre began his freshman year as the seventh-string quarterback and took over the starting position in the second half of the third game of the year against Tulane on September 19, 1987. Favre, despite suffering a hangover from the night before and vomiting during warm-ups, led the Golden Eagles to a come-from-behind victory with two touchdown passes. Favre started ten games during his freshman year and won six of them. In his junior season, Favre led the Golden Eagles to an upset of #6 Florida State on September 2, 1989. Favre capped a six-and-a-half-minute drive with the game-winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds remaining. On July 14, 1990, before the start of Favre's senior year at Southern Miss, he was involved in a nearly fatal car accident. When going around a bend a few tenths of a mile from his parents' house, Favre lost control of his car, which flipped three times and came to rest against a tree. It was only after one of his brothers smashed a car window with a golf club Favre could be evacuated and rushed to the hospital. In the ambulance, his mother was sitting with him. 'All I kept asking [her] was "Will I be able to play football again?"' Fa

Did You Know?

• Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 2010, including 297 regular season games, the most in league history.
• He was the first NFL quarterback to obtain 70,000 yards, 10,000 passes, 6,000 completions, 500 touchdowns, and victories over all 32 teams.
• Favre was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip during his physical after the trade to Green Bay, but general manager Ron Wolf overruled doctors who recommended failing the physical.
• He earned a teaching degree with an emphasis in special education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

The Dominant 1996 Campaign

The 1996 season stands as a historic pinnacle for the Green Bay Packers, marking their 76th year in the NFL and fifth under head coach Mike Holmgren. The franchise achieved an unprecedented level of dominance by posting a league-best 13–3 regular-season record, becoming the first team since 1972 to lead the league in both points scored and points allowed. This balanced excellence extended to special teams as well, resulting in the Packers finishing first in all three phases of the game. Notably, they went undefeated at home, an 8–0 record that had not been matched by Green Bay since 1962. This comprehensive superiority laid the foundation for a championship run that would see them defeat top-tier competition to secure their third Super Bowl title.

Brett Favre's MVP Masterpiece

Quarterback Brett Favre delivered a career-defining performance in 1996, earning his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award. He shattered the franchise single-season record for touchdown passes by throwing 39 times, a mark that also led the entire National Football League. His ability to lead a high-powered offense while maintaining efficiency was instrumental in the team's success, as he orchestrated a unit that scored more points than any other squad in the league during the regular season.

A Postseason of Special Teams Brilliance

The Packers' playoff journey was defined by resilience and exceptional special teams play, particularly from return specialist Desmond Howard. In the divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers at a muddy Lambeau Field, Green Bay overcame offensive struggles to win 35–14. Despite a muffed kickoff that initially aided the 49ers, Howard returned two kicks for significant gains, including a touchdown, while the Packers committed far fewer penalties than their opponents. The momentum carried into Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots, where Howard was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Enduring Legacy and Historical Rankings

The impact of the 1996 Packers has resonated for decades, with the team consistently ranked among the greatest in NFL history. Later, during the league's centennial celebration, the squad was ranked as the twentieth greatest team of all time. Their statistical dominance remains unique; as of 2023, they stand as the only franchise since the implementation of the salary cap to simultaneously lead the league in points scored and fewest points allowed in a single regular season. This combination of offensive firepower, defensive stifling, and special teams excellence cements their status as a benchmark for perfection in professional football.