Brett Favre, Put That Thing Away: Why He Doesn't Belong Among the NFL's Top QBs

As the 2010 season comes to a close, it appears that Brett Favre may finally move on to retirement—maybe.

If the legendary gunslinger decides to hang up his spurs for the last time, again, NFL experts and analysts will ponder his place among the greatest who ever played.

The NFL Network’s Top 100 list puts Favre at No. 20.

This puts Favre ahead of Dan Marino, Tom Brady and John Elway, landing him sixth all-time at the quarterback position. Fan voting places him higher on the list at sixth all-time overall. 

Considering some of his records, it seems that any argument against his supposed greatness is folly at best.

Since he took the field, replacing Don “Majik” Majkowski in 1992, Favre has thrown an NFL-record 508 touchdowns. He holds the record for completions with 6,300, which collected a record 71,838 yards.

His list of achievements goes on, but one of the most impressive remains his 297 consecutive starts. 

Along the way, Favre entertained fans and analysts alike. His improvisations, unpredictability and boyhood-like enthusiasm were irresistibly entertaining. In short, the man was fun to watch; not to mention his good ol’ boy, aw shucks personality.

He was an everyman who just happened to have an amazing gift.

His charismatic nature not only entertained but also helped him bypass some well-deserved criticisms.

When Favre went to rehab early in his career, it was for substance abuse problems. Other players going through the same hardships suffer from drug or alcohol addictions.

This may seem like semantics, and at its core it is, but the media offered a supportive pat on the back instead of the hammer often applied to just about everyone else.

Favre also had terrible footwork. He overestimated his arm strength at times and threw passes into coverage constantly. Not only did he force passes, but some of his decision-making led both coaches and fans wondering what he was thinking.

His last pass as a Green Bay Packer against the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game comes to mind; his last pass as a Minnesota Viking in another NFC Championship went into the arms of a New Orleans Saint with laser-like accuracy.

These lapses in judgment have led him to own the dubious honor of holding the league record with 336 interceptions.

The 2010 season offers one of the most bizarre incidents in Favre’s career. Two women working for the Jets accused Favre of sending inappropriate texts and pictures.

Most bizarre remains his on-the-field behavior. The NFL’s Iron Man seemed more susceptible to injury. He complained of soreness in his throwing arm and shook it in pain when his passes were picked off, but minutes later, a pass for a touchdown resulted in a pain-free fist pump. 

Despite his penchant for throwing picks and his questionable off the field behavior, Favre has earned a well-deserved spot in the Hall of Fame.

This, however, does not say he was the best at his position.

John Elway and Dan Marino proved themselves more reliable in their careers. Elway walked away from the game with two Super Bowl rings for his efforts. Marino never earned a ring but set records with subpar teams around him.

Tom Brady has earned three Super Bowl rings without the benefit of a military-grade arm. He relies on mechanics and solid decision-making.

Without a doubt, these three deserve to rank higher on the list than Brett Favre.

Oftentimes, the legend exists in place of reality. The shortcomings of well-liked players are often overlooked, but this shouldn’t be the case. Favre has earned his place in Canton but not his place among the quarterbacking elite.

As the gunslinger rides his horse off into the sunset, many fans will have fond memories of good ol’ No. 4 heaving those amazing passes downfield. They will remember how he sprinted down the field to celebrate touchdowns and victories.

They can’t forget, however, some of the questionable decisions he made that may have cost his teams more rings.