Brett Favre: A White Knight's Fall From Grace

The date was January 20, 2008.  After a miracle 13-3 season, the Green Bay Packers suffered a heartbreaking upset loss in the NFC Championship Game to the eventual Super Bowl champs, the New York Giants.

After the game, football fans were pondering the question that had come at the end of each of the past few football seasons: would Packers future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre retire?  Six weeks later, on March 4, Favre held a press conference and formally announced his decision.  After 17 NFL seasons, 16 of which he spent in Green Bay, Favre was hanging up his cleats.

“I know I can play, but I don’t think I want to,” the tearful Favre said.  “And that’s what it really comes down to.”

After Favre’s announcement, the Packers decided to move forward and install Aaron Rodgers, who they had drafted three years earlier, at quarterback.  However, once training camp began that summer, Favre announced that he was having second thoughts about retirement and wanted to return to the Packers.

The Packers stood firm on their position.  Rodgers was now the starting quarterback and if Favre wanted to return, it would be as the team’s backup.  Of course, this didn’t sit well with the veteran and he asked to be traded.  Thus, after determining that keeping Favre would be a PR nightmare, Packers general manager Ted Thompson granted the once-beloved quarterback his wish.  On August 4, 2008, Brett Favre was traded to the New York Jets for a fourth-round draft pick.  Soon afterward, the Favre house of cards collapsed.

Now, I know that age has slowed him down for the past couple of seasons, but let’s face it: Brett Favre is the greatest quarterback in NFL history.  Just look at his accomplishments: 11 Pro Bowls, two trips to the Super Bowl (winning one), three MVP awards, plus he’s basically at the top of the list for all stats involving a quarterback (touchdown passes, passing yards, etc.).

I remember as a child, when I wasn’t rooting for Troy Aikman or John Elway, I was cheering for Brett Favre.  Why?  My response to that is simple: why not??

For years, Brett Favre was the NFL’s golden child.  On the field, he was the epitome of a team leader.  He was well liked by his teammates, the fans loved him, and he was never one to put himself first.  I remember watching one Packers game where he was sacked, suffered a concussion, came back into the game a few plays later, and threw a touchdown pass.  I don’t know about you readers but where I come from, we call that incredible!

Favre maintained this image off of the playing field too.  When he wasn’t leading the Packers to victory, he could be found at home with his wife, Deanna, and their two daughters, Brittany and Breleigh.  He had a very hands-on role in his charity, the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, and wasn’t one to get himself into trouble.  He was a great player, a family man, just a regular good guy in general.  Or so we thought.

Don’t get me wrong.  Being a New Yorker and a general supporter of the New York Jets, I was happy when Favre was traded there.  Yet, something didn’t sit well with me.  The way that Favre exited Green Bay, well, just seemed so unlike him.  The Brett Favre that I grew up watching would have been happy for Aaron Rodgers.  He would have been a loyal backup and mentor for the young quarterback, showing him the ropes and giving guidance.  Instead, he showed a sense of entitlement, as if to say “this is MY job and I want it back…NOW!!!”

Needless to say, Favre’s one year with the Jets was less than memorable.  Despite a strong start, his numbers tailed off towards the end of the season.  He had 22 touchdown passes, but also had that many interceptions.  The latter stat could be attributed to his playing much of the second half of the season with a torn biceps muscle.  In the final game of the season, against the Miami Dolphins, he threw an interception on a potential game-winning drive and thus eliminated the Jets from playoff contention.

On February 11, 2009, with many doubting his abilities, Favre informed the Jets of his decision to retire.  At the time, all I could do was shake my head.  Brett Favre, the man many had worshipped for nearly two decades, was retiring after a mediocre season when he would have exited at the top of his game the first time around.  Of course, I was sure that Favre would realize it was time for him to walk away for good this time and settle into a comfy life of retirement.  Little did I know that the White Knight’s fall was just in its infancy stages.

In the summer of 2009, rumors once again swirled that Favre was considering yet another comeback, this time with the Minnesota Vikings.  At this point, I immediately lost all respect for the man.  I remembered that before Favre was traded to the Jets, the Vikings had shown interest in him.  Of course, the Packers weren’t about to trade their former star quarterback to a division rival, so the trade didn’t happen.

When he signed a two-year contract with the Vikings, I saw right through Favre’s motives.  Let’s be real, people.  He only signed with them so he could have a shot at beating the Packers twice a season, thus being able to thumb his nose at the franchise that seemingly pushed him aside like an old toy in favor of a newer, fresher one. 

I don’t care about the fact that his first season in Minnesota was an incredible one, with 33 touchdown passes compared to only seven interceptions.  The Brett Favre that I grew up watching would have done the honorable thing and stayed retired.  This was also the season that his off-the-field image began to look tarnished.  His eldest daughter Brittany dropped out of college due to becoming pregnant, effectively making the 40-year-old Favre the NFL’s only active grandfather.

This season, things got worse when it was reported Favre had sent “suggestive” text messages to former Jets employee Jenn Sterger during his time in New York.  Gone was the image of the honorable family man the public had come to know and love.  This scandal, combined with the rest of the drama in the Vikings’ locker room, had caused the NFL’s golden child to fall off of his high horse.  Once one of my favorite NFL players, Brett Favre was now someone for whom I just felt sorry.  He could have walked away a hero, and after this season he’ll retire as a shell of what he once was.

Some years from now, Brett Favre will walk to the podium to give his induction address at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.  Packers fans will cheer for him, and his family will be there offering their support as well.

Yet, despite how many years removed he may be from the aforementioned incidents, he will still not be the Brett Favre that fans knew and loved in his prime.  While his years in Green Bay were all well and good, it cannot be denied that Favre has tainted his legacy these past three years.  Simply put, he was a man that had it all.  His loyal fans, a loving family, and his face on a myriad amount of products.  Apparently, that was not enough and even in retirement and eventual Hall of Fame induction, Brett Favre will still have his name at the top of all of the records he has broken, but what the NFL’s White Knight won’t have is probably the most important thing of all.

His pride.