Brett Favre Retires: Five Players Who Were Affected By the Hall of Famer

Brett Favre
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Now that Brett Favre has retired for the third time after announcing he will not return to the Minnesota Vikings for the 2010 season, it's time to take a look how the future Hall of Fame quarterback had an effect on other players in the NFL.

When Favre decided to return to the NFL and play for the Vikings for the 2009 season, he had an impact on not just members of the Vikings, but other players around the league. Here are five players who have Favre to thank for having an impact on their NFL career.

Donovan McNabb

Washington Redskins QB Donovan McNabb
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Before Favre decided to play for the Vikings, rumors swirled about Donovan McNabb reuniting with Brad Childress in Minnesota after the time they spent together with the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, it's too late for the Vikings to make a move for McNabb considering he was traded to the Washington Redskins in April.

Jimmy Clausen

Carolina Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen
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After an impressive junior season at Notre Dame, there was always the possibility of Jimmy Clausen being selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Many even wondered if he would be a better quarterback than Sam Bradford in the long run.

In one of the biggest surprises in this year's draft, Clausen slipped to the second round and was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the 48th pick. The Vikings seemed confident Favre would return for the upcoming season, which may have been the reason why they didn't push harder to draft Clausen.

Colt McCoy

Cleveland Browns QB Colt McCoy
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Like Clausen, Colt McCoy was in a similar situation on draft day because nobody knew where the former Texas standout would land.

While he most likely will have to wait a year, McCoy eventually went to the Cleveland Browns with the 85th pick in the third round of the draft. After trading their first-round pick to the Detroit Lions, the Vikings had two chances to select McCoy in the second round with both the 34th and 51st pick.

Sage Rosenfels

Minnesota Vikings QB Sage Rosenfels with former Vikings QB Brett Favre
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Sage Rosenfels signed with the Minnesota Vikings with the intention he would compete for the starting job at quarterback during the 2009 offseason. Once Favre came on board, that idea was shattered.

His future with the Vikings seemed to be in jeopardy considering Joe Webb and R.J. Archer stole reps from Rosenfels during offseason workouts. With Favre out of the picture, Rosenfels should remain on Minnesota's roster to push Tarvaris Jackson for the starting role.

Sidney Rice

Minnesota Vikings WR Sidney Rice
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At 6'4" Sidney Rice emerged as one of the most dangerous wide receivers last season after using his height as an advantage over defenders. He caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns on the way to his first Pro Bowl in three years with the Vikings.

The argument can be made that Favre was one of the main reasons behind Rice's success as an elite wide receiver. Now, it should be interesting to see what his 2010 season is like with Jackson or Rosenfels calling the shots at quarterback.