Brett Favre
His College Days
Researched & Written by Tim Evans
BrettFavre.com

Southern Mississippi was the sole Division I-A school to offer Brett a scholarship, and he accepted their offer. On September 19, 1987 , Brett cracked the starting lineup completing 6 of 10 for 85 yards and two touchdowns. One week later, in only his third game as a true freshman, Brett became the team's starting QB for the next 4 seasons (1987-90).

Other notable games in Brett's college career include:

September 2, 1989 : Favre leads the Golden Eagles to a convincing victory as they upset the sixth-ranked Florida State Seminoles, 30-26. With FSU leading 26-24 midway through the final quarter, Southern Miss put together a six and a half minute drive topped off by Brett's winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds remaining. He put himself on the national map with this game.

December 23, 1988 : Favre (15 of 26 passing for 157 yards and one touchdown) led the Golden Eagles to a 38-18 victory against UTEP in the Independence Bowl.

September 8, 1990 : Just five weeks after a near fatal car accident, Favre remarkably returns to the starting lineup and led the Golden Eagles in an upset against Alabama . "You can call it a miracle or a legend or whatever you want to," Crimson Tide coach Gene Stallings says afterward. "I just know that on that day, Brett Favre was larger than life."

December 28, 1990 : In Brett's final contest as a collegiate athlete, Southern Miss lost a tough battle to N.C. State , 31-27, in the All-American Bowl. Even though the team lost, Favre was in the zone, throwing for 341 yards and three touchdowns. He finishes his Southern Miss career as the school leader in passing yards, pass attempts, completions, passing percentage and touchdowns.

Brett set school records for passing yards (8,193), pass attempts (1,234), completions (656), passing percentage (53.0) and touchdowns (55). His 1.57 interception ratio was the lowest among the 50 top-ranked passers in the nation. After his senior season, he earned MVP awards at the East-West Shrine game and All-American bowl. Brett majored in special education.

Favre was inducted into the Senior Bowl Hall Of Fame in the year 2000, along with former Packers Jerry Kramer, Ray Nitschke, Sterling Sharpe, and Jim Taylor.

Brett Favre
His Professional Career
Researched & Written by Tim Evans
BrettFavre.com

February 10, 1992 is a day in history that all Packer fans will never forget. Ron Wolf traded a #1 draft pick in the upcoming April draft for a 22 year old kid who was 0 for 5 with 2 interceptions with the Atlanta Falcons in the 1991 campaign. The doctors did not even approve his physical when he got

to Green Bay, but Ron Wolf told them to go back and pass him anyway. At the time, critics thought this was a wasted move, but only a matter of a few months reassured fans and faithfuls that the acquisition of Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers is arguably the best personnel move in the history of the NFL. Even if you are not a Packer diehard, you know the story of the gunslinger from Southern Miss – the rest is history!

The 1991 NFL Draft:

On April 20, 1991 , the Atlanta Falcons selected Brett Favre in the second round (33rd overall) of the NFL Draft. Jerry Glanville thought this newcomer could have some potential. This potential turned into 5 attempts for 0 completions and 2 interceptions. Quoted on ESPN's Sports Century, Glanville called Brett a “train wreck” after missing the team picture during training camp because he had partied too hard the night before. “Some people don't believe I was even on the Falcons because I was never seen in a team picture!” said Favre.

Don Majkowski Out - Brett Favre In:

Brett's first opportunity in Green Bay came in Week 2 of the 1992 season in Tampa Bay .  It was nothing special; just a back-up giving Don Majkowski a breather for a few plays.  Football fans young and old can only appreciate what happened the following week on September 13, 1992 .  It was literally the start of journey that is extending into it's 11th year with the 2002 campaign. 

In the first quarter, Don Majkowski got injured and had to leave the game.  Favre came in and the team was losing.  It didn't get much better when the boos came out of the crowd after Favre overthrew his receivers on several occasions throughout the game.  But in the 4th quarter, down 17-3, Favre engineered his first win as an NFL quarterback to lead the Packers to a huge victory:  24-23 over the Cincinnati Bengals.  Favre took over the starting job and began down a new path with head coach Mike Holmgren.  "What you see in Brett is a strong guy who wants to win. He drives you crazy sometimes, but he's a talent", Holmgren says following the win.  And now, 157 straight regular season starts later, he's still tickin'!

The Early Years:

Brett Favre earned a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl squad in 1992 as the youngest quarterback in NFL history to ever play in a Pro Bowl at the age of 23. It wasn't always glory for Favre. He had to learn the plays, learn how to read defenses, learn the basics of situational football in the NFL, and overall, he had to learn the system. He needed to experience this level of play week in and week out. Growing pains were inevitable – interceptions were up, and turnovers did not help teams win games on consistent basis... that's for sure. Brett learned his lessons each and every week, battle after battle. It was recently said that Brett Favre has an unbelievable memory and can remember basically every situation after a game. This memory obviously helped Brett grow and mature as a player and quarterback. Brett studied the game and learned by his mistakes, and the next time he got back out on the field he improved that much more.

The MVP's:

After setting an NFC single-season record with 38 touchdown passes and leading the NFL with 4,413 passing yards, Favre won the MVP award on January 1, 1996 . "It means everything," he says. "It's like winning the Super Bowl, except it's an individual honor. It's the National Football League, which means it's the best player in the whole world. In this game. And that's awesome."

While throwing for 39 touchdown passes, Favre set an NFC record for most touchdown passes in a season for the second straight year. It ranks as the third-highest single season total in NFL history. The outstanding play

resulted in Favre winning his second straight MVP award on December 30, 1996 .

And finally, on December 27, 1997 , Brett Favre became the first NFL player ever to win the MVP three times when he and Barry Sanders were named co-winners of the award. It was only the second time in the 41-year history of the award that two players shared the honor (Norm Van Brocklin and Joe Schmidt in 1960). "I can't believe a little country kid like me has won it three times," Favre says. "No one has ever done it before. Considering where I came from and how hard it was to get here, it's everything I thought it would be and then some."

The Addiction:

Quarterbacks receive hit after hit, week after week. While on the field and in the course of treating various injuries, Favre developed an addiction to painkillers. While recovery from ankle surgery in a Green Bay hospital, he suffered a seizure. "I quit cold turkey," Favre told Peter King in the May 27, 1996 issue of Sports Illustrated , "and I entered the NFL substance-abuse program voluntarily. I don't want a pill now, but I want to go into a rehab center because I want to make sure I'm totally clean. The counselors I've seen think it's best for me. The one thing they've taught me is that there will always be a spot in your brain that wants it."

In May of 1996, Favre went public with his addiction and gave a press conference about his situation regarding his addiction to painkillers. At 5 a.m. the next day, he entered the Menninger Clinic, a rehabilitation center in Topeka , Kansas , where he stayed for 46 days. "I'm 26 years old, I just threw 38 touchdown passes in one year, and I'm the NFL MVP," he says. "People look at me and say, 'I'd love to be that guy.' But if they knew what it took to be that guy, they wouldn't love to be him, I can guarantee you that. I'm entering a treatment center tomorrow. Would they love that?"

The Super Bowls:

On January 26, 1997 , at the Superdome in New Orleans , Favre threw for 246 yards; including two touchdowns and no interceptions, and ran for another score to lead the Packers to a 35-21 over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.  "We're champions today because we overcame a lot of adversity," says Favre.  "Winning the Super Bowl so close to home makes it extra special because I had so much family and friends in the stadium watching."

Favre and the Packers didn't make it back-to-back Super Bowl victories as they lost the big game to the Denver Broncos, 31-24, in San Diego on January 25, 1998 . Favre finished the game with 256 yards passing, three touchdowns and one interception.

The Contracts:

Favre and Packers agreed on a five-year, $19 million contract extension on July 15, 1994 . "I'm very excited to know I'm going to be here for five more years," says Favre. "I really feel like this is the team to beat in the next few years."

After Super Bowl XXXI, on July 25, 1997 , the two-time MVP signed a seven-year deal with the Green Bay Packers that was reportedly worth between $42 and $48 million. The pact included a $12 million signing bonus.

On February 28 th , 2001 , Favre signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with the Packers.  "No player in the NFL identifies or is more closely linked to a specific team like Brett Favre is to the Green Bay Packers," says general manager and head coach Mike Sherman.  "He embodies the spirit and character of Packers fans everywhere. I do not think there is a player in the NFL that experiences a relationship with the fans like Brett Favre does. That is very, very special."

Did You Know:

Who Brett Favre's first pass was completed to?

Brett Favre completed his first official NFL pass to . . . Brett Favre. It happened September 13, 1992 , at Tampa Bay . Taking over for starter Don Majkowski to start the second half, Favre and the Packers opened the third quarter at their own 18-yard-line. On the first play from scrimmage, Favre's pass attempt was deflected by Ray Seals. Favre caught the deflection, but went down for a loss of 7 yards.

Favre's first completion to a receiver came five snaps later when he connected with Sanjay Beach for an 11-yard gain. Favre also connected with Robert Brooks (15 yards) and Vince Workman (3 yards) on the same drive, which ended with a 33-yard field goal by Chris Jacke to give the Packers their first and only points of the game.

The last time Brett Favre threw for 400 yards in a single game and lost?

In a game at Chicago , Favre completed 36-of-54 passes for 402 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions in a 30-17 loss, December 5, 1993 . This was the only time Favre has had over 400 yards and lost.

The history of the Green Bay Packers' #4 jersey?

Chuck Fusina wore No. 4 in 1986. In fact, kicker Dale Dawson was the last player to sport No. 4 in an official game before Brett Favre. Dawson did so in four games in 1988.

Only five Packers have worn No. 4 all-time. The other two were Verne Lewellen from 1925-26, and Herm Schneidman from 1935-37 .

And, you can mark it paid that Brett Favre will be the last to wear the No. 4 jersey in Green Bay ever again!
 

The details behind one of the most significant trades in the history of the NFL and arguably, all of professional sports?

The history of Brett Favre's arrival in Green Bay dates back to the 1991 NFL Draft in which the Packers acquired the 17th overall draft choice of the 1992 draft in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 1992, the Packers traded that 17th overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Brett Favre, who was coming off a rookie season in which he appeared in two games, tossing two interceptions among his 0-for-5 passing.

The Falcons then traded back two places in the draft with the Dallas Cowboys, thus owning the 19th overall selection. With that 19th pick, the Falcons drafted running back Tony Smith, a former teammate of Favre's from Southern Mississippi .

Smith was the second backfield player selected in the 1992 draft, behind Stanford fullback Tommy Vardell who went to the Cleveland Browns with the ninth pick, but he was also sought for his return abilities. As a senior at Southern Miss, Smith had averaged 164.56 total yards per game, better than Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard (159.0). And he was coming off an MVP performance at the Senior Bowl in which he ran for 72 yards on 12 carries.

Smith played three NFL seasons with the Falcons, but only spent time in the backfield as a rookie, gathering 329 yards on 87 carries (3.8 avg.) with two touchdowns. Over a three-year career as a special teams player he averaged 8.7 yards per punt return (56 returns, 485 yards, 0 touchdowns) and 23.8 yards per kickoff return (61 returns, 1,453 yards, 1 touchdown).

His best performance came in a Monday Night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993, when he returned six kickoffs for a combined 249 yards (41.5 average).

Smith is also noteworthy for being the recipient of Atlanta 's first handoff inside the Georgia Dome in the stadium's inaugural game in 1992. His 32-yard opening scamper would stand as the Falcons' longest rush of the season according to team statistics.