A Legend Retires

After 17 seasons in the NFL, Brett Favre retired. Favre announced his retirement on March 4th, 2008. Favre was known as a great person and was loved by everyone related to football, whether you were a Packer fan or not. But, most of all, Favre was a tremendous quarterback.

Favre was on the Falcons during his rookie year, before being traded to the Packers in 1992. Favre became the starting quarterback in the fourth game of that year, and never looked back. His record of most consecutive starts by a quarterback will most likely never be broken. Favre started 253 games in a row, and 275 if you include playoff games. Favre also holds most of the big records as a quarterback, passing Dan Marino in a couple of categories. Favre has 442 touchdown passes, an all-time record, and 61,655 passing yards, also an all-time record.

Many have speculated whether Favre was the best quarterback ever, since he has retired. I don't think you can label anyone as the best ever. The game has been played for about 100 years and it has changed throughout. Someone may say Johnny Unitas was the best quarterback ever. Unitas played from the 1950s to the 1970s. Or, someone may say Joe Montana was the best ever when he played in the 1980s. Favre played in 2 Super Bowls, and won 1 of them. He holds many quarterback records.

You can go on for days arguing statistics of quarterbacks, but there is one thing that Favre had when he played that could make him the best quarterback ever...heart. Favre played the game like no one else. He gave it 100 percent on every single play. Favre has played with a broken thumb and numerous other injuries. I can rememer watching a game Favre played in on a Monday night in 2003. His dad had just died the day before in a car accident and Favre said he would still play. Favre had the game of his life and threw for 399 yards and 4 touchdowns leading his team to a 41-7 victory over the Raiders. From 2004-2006, Favre experienced the death of a brother-in-law, his wife being diagnosed with breast cancer, and his own house being blown away by Hurricane Katrina. He never missed a game in his 16 years as a Green Bay Packer. No other quarterback has went this long and played as hard as Favre has. When Favre held a press conference for his retirement yesterday, he was crying throughout the whole thing and showed the same emotion that he played with. I don't know if Brett Favre is the best quarterback ever, but he has to be considered one of the best football players ever and he will be remembered as a legend.