In part two on my 2011 Sports Year Review I'll discuss something that impacted football. An NFL legend waved goodbye in 2011 and it practically went unnoticed. In between the Packers beating the Steelers in the Super Bowl and following that up with their current run at perfection, an all-time great Packer called it quits, Brett Favre. Sure we could have done without all of the teary retirement press conferences, or the year in New York, or the final year in Minnesota. We definitely could have done without the texting scandal. Maybe his retirement went unnoticed because when it happened for real it was just a text to the AP. Maybe after years in Favre's shadow, Aaron Rodgers' ascent to quarterback super stardom caused the retirement to take a back seat. Maybe seeing the NFL's iron man unable to finish what would be his final season made us forget all he gave us.
Maybe Favre did hang on longer than we would have liked. Maybe the three years with the Jets and rival Vikings showed a side of Favre we didn't want to see. Maybe all of the retired, not retired, retired again, not retired stories got tiresome. Yet, none of this should take away from the legacy Favre created as an NFL quarterback. Michael Jordan hung around too long with the Wizards, went on to become a horrible GM (See drafting Kwame Brown and Adam Morison) and even sports a full on Hitler stache in Hanes' commercials, yet we never let any of this tarnish the legacy of his greatness with the Bulls. It helps Jordan that he had the shot over Russell that should have ended his career on top. We are able to look past the stint with the Wizards because we have that memory. No one remembers Jordan's career ending with the Wizards, they remember a hunched over Russell and Jordan holding his follow through as he put away the Jazz for the title. Favre didn't have a moment like this. In his final season with the Packers, a young team overachieved and had Favre one game from his third Super Bowl appearance. Only had Favre retired after that season, his career would have ended with a pick that cost the Packers a trip to Glendale. He started strong with the Jets then limped to the end of that season. Again not a glamorous way to end a career. With the Vikings he had another shot at the Super Bowl. Again just one game away his season and career would have ended with a pick that cost them the game. Maybe Favre hung around too long because he wanted to end his career with a signature moment. Maybe he just wanted to go out on top like Elway. Regardless of the reasoning behind Favre's final years, we cannot let those years undermine all that Favre did in his illustrious career.
Just four years after Favre's departure, Aaron Rodgers is doing his best to get everyone in Green Bay to forget number 4. While Rodgers has been on a tear and will go down as an all-time great in the NFL, not just Green Bay, if he can sustain this level of play, we cannot forget all that Favre was to the Packers. Favre's retirement should have been a bigger deal, especially in Green Bay.
Forget all of his records and comebacks and memorable moments, Favre's longevity alone is legendary. There is an entire generation that grew up watching football, became young adults and never knew what a Sunday without Favre was like. Favre was selected to 11 Pro-bowls; most impressive about this statistic is the first time was in '92 and the last in '09. He is the only NFL player to ever win three consecutive MVPs. He is the only player to beat all 32 NFL teams. The list of his accomplishments goes on forever. Don't believe me, check out this Wikipedia page dedicated solely to Favre's records and accomplishments. Some of them are absolutely ridiculous (Like the fact that he went 19-0 at home against the Lions. That's 18 years where you could pencil in a Favre lead team for at least one win.).
Almost completely dismissed in 2011 was the fact that Brett Lorenzo Favre, "The Gunslinger", the NFLs iron man, retired and stayed retired. While there are still games left and playoff teams in need of a quarterback, it is most likely we have seen the last of Mr. Wranglers himself. It’s unfortunate that Favre will be remembered for things like Jenn Sterger and flip flopping on retirement. Brett Favre played in the NFL for 20 years with the exuberance of a kid in the back yard. His accomplishments are vast and his impact will be everlasting. Hopefully a day will come where we ignore Favre's Jets and Vikings days like we do Jordan's time with the Wizards. Hopefully there will be a day when Favre and the Packers reconcile. Hopefully the day will come where we look back on 2011 and remember an all-time great hung up his cleats.
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