Before Wednesday, Brett Favre was still missing one ingredient to get him to his rightful spot in the American Football Hall of Fame. What the man has accomplished in 18 years of quarterbacking in the NFL is arguably the most impressive in American Football history, including three National Football League MVP awards, a Super Bowl championship, and the record for nearly every statistical category possible. Yet on Wednesday, looking back at his remarkable career, he picked up the phone to say his last goodbye.
The 39-year-old quarterback said in a conference call with New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum, and newly-hired head coach Rex Ryan simply: “It is time to leave.”
Favre swears this time he is for real, and that he will not be attempting a last minute comeback this upcoming season. “I have no reason to wonder why you would be so skeptical,” Favre said Wednesday.
Expecting the unexpected
Normally we would have every reason to doubt Favre’s commitment to retirement. How many off-seasons has it been that we have debated whether or not Favre would be throwing in the towel? Indeed, we’ve lost count and have become accustomed to his moving teary-eyed goodbyes that inevitably follow the end of each season. If for no other reason, the cool, emotionless manner in which he expressed his retirement from American Football should indicate to all of us that this time he’s serious.
After the 2007 season, which was arguably Favre’s best statistically, everyone was convinced he was poised to lead the Packers back to the Super Bowl. But how about the two or three seasons before during which Favre was a shadow of his former self? Sports pundits and fans have short memories…
Short-lived rejuvenation
Favre was able to lead the Packers a mere interception away from the Super Bowl in 2007 because his brilliance was temporarily reinvigorated by a good coaching, a talented supporting cast, but most importantly that special energy that hovers over teams poised for greatness.
When the 2007 season was over Favre was mentally exhausted and emotionally spent. He had nothing left in him to give to American Football, so it was time to retire... or so he thought.
By Favre’s own admission, being an ‘elderly’ professional American Footballer is a pain in the ass Monday through Saturday – what made it the best job in the world was game time on Sunday. So after recovering some of his energy, the warm summer air that beckoned in the beginning of a new season for has long as he could remember, Favre told the Packers he wanted to come back.
Packing his bags
This tragically led to the falling out between the Packers and Favre. The Pack had moved on and had spent an off-season grooming the highly touted Aaron Rogers to lead them at quarterback. So Favre demanded a trade and he landed at the most unlikely of teams: the New York Jets.
The maxim ‘Super Bowl or bust’ would define the New York media and fan-bases’ approach to Favre. To this observer, this made Favre’s tenure as a Jet something guaranteed for doom. Not only had he inherited an uninspired offense that led the Jets to a paltry four wins versus a staggering twelve losses just a season ago – more importantly the Jets found themselves in a conference beside the likes of the Patriots, Colts, Chargers, and Steelers who more or less constituted the pantheon of the NFL’s elite.
Proving his doubters wrong
Yet somehow by Week 11 Favre had just helped the Jets overcome longtime AFC East division bully Patriots in a heated battle decided in overtime. The Jets had one of the better records in the league at eight wins and three losses. Further, Favre was the leading MVP candidate. The following week Favre and his Jets upset the juggernaut Tennessee Titans by handing them their first loss of the season. New York was going crazy – could Favre really carry their team to the Super Bowl with his ageing yet still effective arm?
This was the highpoint in the Jets season. What followed was the ugliest of the ugly. The Jets lost four of their last five, which took them from contender to pretender. During the final stretch Favre threw only two touchdown passes compared to nine interceptions. The season finale that was single-handedly lost on two Favre interceptions, one of which of a Miami Dolphins touchdown, revealed just how bad things had become for the NFL greats.
Hero to Zero
After the season MVP talk was replaced by sheer venom on the part of the New York media and a handful of Favre’s outspoken teammates. The local headlines called Favre every name in the book from ‘Loser!’ to ‘Choke-Artist!’ Pro-Bowl running-back Thomas Jones graciously added: “If somebody is not playing well, they need to come out of the game.” Other teammates anonymously said that Favre was ‘distant’ in the locker-room and received ‘special treatment’ from coaches.
Favre’s response: “It’s upsetting that a couple of guys have said some negative things, but what can you do? If you poll 99 percent of the guys I played with, I think they would say, ‘He was a blast to work with.’ I think that's what most guys would say, so it’s no sweat.'”
Rarely do exceptional careers like Favre’s end on a high note and his is no exception. And while football fans should be happy that Favre has decided to retire, there is no doubt that American Football will not be the same without him.