For the past five years, the talk after each Packer season ended was whether or not Brett Favre would return or retire. Finally, Favre had hanged it up...or did he? Rumors are flying whether or not he will make yet another return.
The Packers have moved on, so if Favre returns he will be playing for anther team. I cannot imagine that, but remember, he started his career with the Falcons.
Don't get me wrong, I love watching him play. He has fun out there, like every player should, and there is nothing to hate about him.
The only problem is, he is praised like he is Michael Jordan or something. I am getting pretty sick of it. His numbers say he is the greatest and he has one Super Bowl to add to his legacy, but he has been playing since they invented electricity and has really never missed a game.
One reason he is considered a fun player to watch is that he is a gunner, meaning he throws carelessly. There will be two defenders and a wideout in between. Sometimes he fits the pass between the window with his sling shot pass and there are times it is picked off.
Despite being the all-time touchdown leader, he has the most interceptions ever thrown. That is something that is never looked at.
There are times he makes great plays, but his last throw so far of his NFL career was a bad pass picked off by the Giants, which led to the Giants going to the Super Bowl. He won a lot of ball games, but with his mistakes and slips by throwing interceptions, cost some games.
A reason he has many of the passing records is that he has always been in an offense that lets him pass until his arm gets sore.
The, "west coach offense" is what it is called. It has been so throughout his Packer career, he had been the main factor in the offense. Ahmad Green was a good back, but that did not take away much from Favre throwing the ball.
Did he really win them the Super Bowl? Yeah, he was a good quarter back who made plays, but it has always been the defense. In the past four years, Brett Favre looked like Eli Manning before the playoffs of last year.
I wonder why. Well, not having any sort of defense to make up for his mistakes kind of hurts you. That is why the organization had been pressured to let Favre go.
I do not know if it was a coincidence, but the Packers defense was really good last season. One of the best in the NFL. Favre also happen to have one of his best seasons. Just saying.
His Super Bowl team was also stacked. Reggie White since he came to the Packers changed the whole organization around. Again, just saying.
Brett Favre did not even win MVP of the Super Bowl. Desmond Howard did.
He has the records and the one ring. Is he the greatest ever? I am saying no.
Only when on the topic that Favre is the greatest, is when I am saying he is overrated. People give him too much credit for things he has done.
He is a top five quarterback all time, but no way is he ahead of Joe Montana, Steve Young, Dan Marino, and Joe Montana. There are even other quarterbacks that can be put ahead.
No hate towards Favre, but fans drooling over him, saying he should come back because he is the greatest ever, need to stay back.
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3 months ago
This would be a better article if proper grammar were employed.
3 months ago
There are things called "intangibles" that can't be measured purely by numbers over the years. Favre has something special, and he can play for 2-3 more years - and that makes the Packers a playoff team and SuperBowl contender.
HE is NOT Overrated!
3 months ago
it's funny when people write about Favre and get all defensive saying he's not the greatest ever. and maybe he's not. but could you start every game for 17 seasons, while still taking hits every game? i'd like to see you try. When you can do that and do it better...until then, and only then, do you have a right to talk bad about Brett Favre.
3 months ago
"The only problem is, he is praised like he is Michael Jordan or something. I am getting pretty sick of it."
Ok, I can understand over-exposure and getting sick of hearing about someone. They do talk about Favre ALOT, even if one does (as I do) consider him to be one of the greatest athletes of all time. So I can understand your opinion there.
But this I dont get... "His numbers say he is the greatest and he has one Super Bowl to add to his legacy, but he has been playing since they invented electricity and has really never missed a game."
Yeah thats the point. He's got the records and has played like forever without missing a game. How many people could do that? Not very damn many. Thats why he gets praised like hes Michael Jordan or something.
3 months ago
But how do you really feel?
3 months ago
I am guessing you are a kid who remembers the post-Holmgren Favre a lot better than the one who was reigned in by his tutor. I am a Cheesehead, and even I am getting sick of all of the gushing over Favre. The media (ESPECIALLY ESPN) love him.
However, your article is reactionary--you think he gets too much love, and that has built an anti-Favre bias that has caused you to overlook some facts.
1. Don't mistake that for them considering him the best ever. Most people consider that Montana, and HE is the one who had all the support--on BOTH sides of the ball.
2. His interceptions are CONSTANTLY looked at--what planet are you watching news on?
3. He didn't make that many mistake in his three MVP seasons or even last season, all of which he had less than a pick/game. When he made a lot of mistakes was when his support was not especially lacking.
4. Being counted on to throw so much is what leads to interceptions--the defense gets to sit on what you're doing.
5. He not only won us that Superbowl (I mean, are you really gonna say a returner, no matter how well he played, had a greater impact than a QB?), he got us there. He threw 3TDs/pick, a ratio rarely found, and was the league leader at the most important position in the game in nearly every category.
6. Steve Young? He couldn't even beat Favre except once when they didn't call Jerry Rice for a fumble, and he only had a few good years! He is not in any rational person's top five because he did not play enough to be there. In fact, he is the anti-Favre: his lack of durability underscores how impressive Favre's streak was. With Young, you HAD to have a good back-up; with Favre, I could have been the back-up 'cause you weren't gonna need me.
Let's count Favre's records: most consecutive games played (253, during which 212 other QBs started), wins (160), winning percentage during his 17 years (.632--Montana was over .700, but did not win as frequently as Brett once the salary cap prevented the Niners from keeping all the best players), consecutive seasons with 20+ TDs (12), attempts (8758), competions (5377), yards (61655), TDs (442), 3000-yd seasons (16), consecutive post-season games with a TD (18), MVPs (3), longest pass (one of ten with a 99 yard TD), and TDs in any one venue (209 at Lambeau).
He is second all-time in fourth quarter comebacks, 4TD games, multi-TD games, 300-yard passing games, 4000-yd seasons, consecutive games with a TD pass in the regular season, and consecutive completions. You know, I may be wrong--he may be the greatest QB ever.
2 months ago
I agree. Favre is definitely overated.
No one would ever question Favre’s heart and toughness, his great arm, and flat out durability. But, Im sorry, I don’t think he even makes top 5. You have to throw out cathedral that values championships as the barometer for greatness, since this is a team accomplishment. Accumulative stats should also not be used, since longetivity does not = greatness (ask Vinny Testeverde). John Elway is also grossly overated. John Elway would not have cracked the top ten if he didn’t hit the lottery when the broncos drafted Terrel Davis. 2 Superbowls later, he’s considered the greatest. Montana always had the great teams. Same for Steve Young.
If Dan Marino had won just one ring, i believe he would be unanimously considered the greatest quarterback of all time. I mean, you are talking about Favre who became known for making as many bonehead throws as he did great ones, compared to Marino who was universally known as the greatest pure passer of all-time. Marino had to face stacked defenses every game of his career. The fact that he always had too pass might inflated accumulative statistics, but not efficiency stats. I can't believe anyone would put Favre over Marino because of his one ring, and now that he broke his career records. Favre had to play in more games to break his records.
Favre had a terrific run in the 90’s. His career TD-INT was 1.54 (442-288). Although from 1999 to 2006 he was very ordinary: 1.29 (201-155). Dan Marino’s career TD-INT ratio was 1.67 (420-252). And how about these numbers:
Passer Rating:
Marino: 86.4
Favre: 85.7
Yards per attempt:
Marino: 7.3
Favre: 7.0
Yards per completion:
Marino: 12.4
Favre: 11.5
Touchdown %
Marino: 5.0
Favre: 5.0
Interception %
Marino: 3.0
Favre: 3.3
Times Sacked / Yards lost
Marino: 270/1930
Favre: 439/2888
If Marino didn't get stuck with Jimmy Johnson, his numbers would have been better at the end of his career. But he had to endure Jimmy taking away his receivers and his audibles, so he could give the ball to Karim Abdul Jabaar 30 times a game. If Marino had just 1 above average running back to play with, and wasn't forced to play with average to bad defenses his entire career, he might have brought home that ring, he we would not be discussing this...
2 months ago
Here's the problem with your argument Shark, you state that Marino should be the number one quarterback and that Favre doesn't deserve to be in the top 5...yet the numbers you list between Marino and Favre are almost identical. Going purely by your argument and stats how can two individuals have almost identical numbers and one be considered the best quarterback ever and the other not even listed in the top 5. And again, that's not even considering that Favre actually has a ring.
2 months ago
I think Favre is a great qb, a legend and hall of famer without a doubt. But I agree with shark that Marino probably was better. Other factors besides the numbers include Marino's health. He had a ton of injuries including a blown out achilles towards the end of his career. Despite that he still produced and led his team to playoff appearences. It was actually Marino's consecutive starts record for a qb that Favre broke which was not official because of the strike in 87. I admire Favre for toughing it out and playing hurt at times but he was very fortunate that a serious injury never sidelined him. I also think that when Favre won his super bowl it was with the best team in the league. Marino never played for the best all-around team in the league, it was close in 84 but that niner team which was 15-1 was superior.
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