It’s hard to believe it’s now been 30 years since the Green Bay Packers acquired Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons. Favre took over as the Packers starting quarterback early in the 1992 season and remained with the team until the end of the 2007 season. Favre led the team to two Super Bowls and their first championship since the Lombardi Era.
Here are 10 things you may not know about Brett Favre:
- Favre Ran the Option In High School
One reason Favre was not so highly-recruited out of high school was that his team rarely passed the football. He was coached by his father, Irv Favre, and ran the option, often out of the wishbone because the team had such strong running backs.
The team passed just a few times per game which didn’t give Favre a chance to show off his arm. Southern Mississippi coach Mark McHale did scout some games Favre played at Hancock North Central High School and did see how strong his arm was. That is how “The Gunslinger” ended up attending Southern Mississippi.
- Favre Played One Season for the Falcons But Never Completed a Pass
Well, not one to his own team, anyway. Favre was Atlanta’s third-string quarterback in his rookie season and threw four passes all season. They all came in Atlanta’s Week 11 blowout loss to Washington. He didn’t complete any passes and two of his throws were intercepted. One of those was a pick-six by Andre Collins who ran it back 15 yards for a touchdown in Washington’s 56-17 trouncing of Atlanta.
Head coach Jerry Glanville was never high on Favre and even said it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre in a game.
- The Packers Traded a First-Round Pick in 1992 for Favre
Favre wasn’t well known when Packers GM Ron Wolf sent a first-round pick to the Falcons to acquire him. The Falcons selected running back Tony Smith. In three seasons with Atlanta, Smith ran 87 times for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
His biggest role was a return specialist where he averaged 23.8-yards per kick return and 8.7-yards per punt return. He ran back a kick 97 yards for a touchdown in 1993.
Still, this was a poor return when you consider what Favre went on to accomplish in Green Bay.
- Favre’s First NFL Completion Went to…Brett Favre
Favre’s first NFL completion was thrown to…Brett Favre. Head coach Mike Holmgren put Favre in during the Packers Week 2, 31-3 blowout loss to the Bucs. Favre’s pass was deflected by Tampa Bay’s Ray Seals and bounced back to Favre. The play lost seven yards.
For the game, the Packers new quarterback 8-of-14 passes for 73 yards.
- Favre’s First Career TD Pass Went to Sterling Sharpe
One week later, Favre came into the Packers game against the Bengals after starter Don Majkowski was injured. His first career touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter of that game on a five-yard pass to Pro Bowl receiver Sterling Sharpe. That touchdown made the score 20-17 Bengals in a game the Packers eventually won 24-23.
Favre’s final regular-season touchdown pass came in the 2007 season finale against the Lions when he threw a four-yard scoring toss to tight end Bubba Franks. That gave the Packers a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter. Favre came out of the game after that and was relieved by backup Craig Nall.
- Favre’s First Career NFL Start Was Not Against Cincinnati
While Favre’s dramatic win over the Bengals was the start of his legend in Green Bay, he did not start that game. He did start the next 253 regular-season games after that, never missing another start while he played for the Packers.
His first start came one week after the win over Cincinnati when the Packers beat the Steelers 17-3 at Lambeau Field. In that game, Favre threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Sharpe and an eight-yard touchdown pass to Robert Brooks. He completed 14-of-19 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns while not throwing an interception.
- Favre Had Only One 400-Yard Game with the Packers
While Favre played 255 regular-season games for the Packers and started 253, he had only one game where he passed for more than 400 yards during that time.
It came in Week 14 of the 1993 season in a 30-17 loss to the Bears in Chicago. In the game, Favre completed 36-of-54 passes for 402 yard and two touchdowns. He did also throw three interceptions in that game.
In the game Favre played in Oakland shortly after his father’s sudden passing, he threw for 399 yards.
He did have one more 400-yard effort in his career which came in Week 9 of 2010 when he was with the Vikings. In that game, Favre thew for 446 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals.
- Favre Threw 5 Touchdowns in a Game Three Times with the Packers
Favre threw for five touchdown passes in a game three times during his time with the Packers. The first came in Week 10 of the 1993 season against the Bears in a game Favre almost couldn’t start because of a badly sprained ankle. The second one came in Week 4 of 1997 in a 38-32 win over the Vikings followed by a 1998 win over the Carolina Panthers in Carolina.
Favre’s career high for touchdowns in a game is six which he accomplished during his season with the New York Jets in a Week 4 56-35 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
- Favre Threw 28 Career Playoff Interceptions
We all know Favre is the NFL’s all-time regular season interceptions leader, but he also threw 28 picks in the postseason. His worst game came in the 2001 playoffs against the Rams when he threw six interceptions in a 45-17 loss.
He also threw four interceptions in the Packers 31-17 loss to the Vikings in the 2004 playoffs.
- Favre Threw Three Touchdown Passes in Five Playoff Games
Brett Favre started 22 playoff games for the Packers and in five of them, he threw for three touchdown passes including the Packers close loss in Super Bowl XXXII and his first playoff start against the Lions in 1993 when he threw three touchdown passes to Sharpe including the game-winner in the final minute.
His only four touchdown game came in the 2009 playoffs in a Vikings win over the Cowboys.
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