green bay packers

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL

After years of speculation and almost constant questioning on when he would retire, Green Bay Packers legendary three-time MVP quarterback Brett Favre finally announced today that he would hang up his cleats after 17 seasons in the National Football League. It’s a dark day for not only Green Bay Packers fans, but football fans in general.

As someone who certainly appreciated and admired Brett’s game over the years, I am saddened it’s over because an NFL season without Brett Favre will be hard to adjust to. This past season alone it seemed that every time he stepped on the field, another NFL record was in danger of falling (he currently owns six of them). Growing up, before I started writing about football for money, I didn’t like Brett or the Packers. It’s just the way it had to be. I was a Minnesota fan and watching him beat my beloved Vikings over and over again, oftentimes on the last drive of a game, was infuriating. But the older I got, the more I could appreciate just what an incredible football player he was. He grew to become one of my favorite players of all-time.

Brett amassed some incredible numbers during his extraordinary career — 257 games; 61,655 yards passing; 442 touchdown passes. Perhaps most impressive of all his accomplishments was his streak of consecutive regular-season starts — which will end now at 253 games. If you add the playoffs, it goes up to 275 games. Really, his accomplishments are staggering. In a phone message to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen today, Brett simply said:

“I know I can still play, but it’s like I told my wife, I’m just tired mentally. I’m just tired.”

Somehow, I feel that Brett was holding out to see if Randy Moss would be available in this season of free agency. Brett wanted Randy as a teammate last year and spoke out in frustration when the Packers didn’t make a better play for arguably the game’s best wide receiver. With Randy’s 2008 contract status still in-question until yesterday, I believe Brett was watching closely. I think he would’ve returned for an 18th NFL season with Randy Moss as a teammate. It would’ve given him the spark he needed for one more shot at the Super Bowl. That being said, Brett leaves behind a very young and talented Green Bay squad capable of a world championship with or without Randy Moss. With or without Brett Favre is another matter altogether.

Obviously, Brett is still capable, physically, of playing quarterback in the NFL. At 38-years-old, he’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He can do the job. But if he doesn’t have it together mentally as he claims, it isn’t going to work. That’s what gives a player the desire and determination they need because getting through an NFL season is as much mental as it is physical.

I had the opportunity to talk with Brett three times on national conference calls over the years and to this day, he is still my favorite interview. In fact, you can check out my latest Q&A with him here. He was always courteous and respectful and gave the best and most complete answers of anyone I’ve ever interviewed.

Of course, in the midst of all this, nobody could be happier than backup QB Aaron Rodgers who was drafted three years ago to eventually become Brett’s replacement. And let me clarify, he’s happy in the sense that it’s finally his turn. The only real look we’ve had at Aaron was his outstanding play in a backup role against the Dallas Cowboys this past season when Brett was out with a wrist injury. Aaron was an impressive 18 of 26 for 201 yards and a touchdown. But we don’t have any idea what the future holds at the quarterback position for the Green Bay Packers. With Brett Favre, you knew exactly what you were getting year-in and year-out. I don’t envy Aaron’s situation. I mean, he can’t replace Brett Favre. Just like Jake Plummer couldn’t or Jay Cutler can’t replace John Elway. Fans will need to let these Hall of Famers go and support the next man up.

I’ll miss watching one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. And while I’ll miss talking with Brett as a player, I can look forward to speaking with him again when he enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If there were ever a sure-thing, first-ballot selection into the HOF, it’s Brett Favre. I hate to see him go. I’m already missing #4.