A Living Legend Retires

A legend has decided hang up his helmet.

Brett Favre, after playing 17 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, will not be returning for his 18th season.

There are players that transcend the game. They are bigger than the game itself.

Favre was that type of player. On the football field he was less than a god, more than a man.

He is the type of quarterback you think about when you say "franchise quarterback."

The Green Bay Packers were already an team considered to be part of "America's teams," but with Favre in Lambeau for 17 seasons it only raised the mystique of the franchise.

People rooted for Favre when their teams were not in the playoffs. They rooted for Favre to break records. They rooted for Favre because he was a warrior.

He was blue collar. He was America's quarterback. Down to Earth ... a man that we could all see ourselves hanging out with in a local watering hole, at the Home Depot, or at the neighborhood barbeque.

In his last season his energy on the field made him look 24 again, not 38. It was a thing of beauty.

What it did for sports fans was rejuvenate our souls. Watching Favre act young again brought out hope and memories for those who once had those glory days, whether long or short.

It made us believe we could act young again. It reminded us why we play sports in the first place. The joy, the innocence, the passion.

Favre is football. Favre is the NFL. Favre is the Green Bay Packers.

Favre will forever live one.

Some highlights of his career (from Chicago Tribune, via the AP):

Sept. 13, 1992, at Tampa Bay. Favre completes his first NFL pass -- to himself. A deflected pass lands in Favre's hands, and he is tackled for a 7-yard loss. Favre completes eight of 14 passes for 73 yards.

Sept. 20, 1992, vs. Cincinnati at Lambeau Field. Replaces injured starter Don Majkowski in the first quarter, and never looks back. Favre leads two scoring drives in the final eight minutes of the game. His 35-yard touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining gives the Packers a come-from-behind 24-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Nov. 15, 1992, vs. Philadelphia in Milwaukee. Despite sustaining a first-degree separation of his left shoulder early in the game, Favre leads the Packers to a come-from-behind 27-24 victory. Reggie White, then a defensive end for the Eagles, would later say the toughness Favre showed was a factor in his decision to sign with Green Bay as a free agent in the offseason.

Jan. 8, 1994, at Detroit. With the Packers trailing 24-21 in the final minute of a Wild Card playoff game, Favre rolls to his left and throws across his body, completing a 40-yard pass to Sterling Sharpe on the other side of the field with 55 seconds remaining to give the Packers a 28-24 victory.

Oct. 31, 1994, at Chicago. Playing with a severely bruised hip in a driving rainstorm at Soldier Field, Favre rushes for a career-high 58 yards -- including a 36-yard touchdown in the second quarter when Favre leaped over a Bears defender -- and leads the Packers to a 33-6 victory.

Dec. 18, 1994, vs. Atlanta in Milwaukee. With the Packers needing a victory to keep their playoff chances alive, Favre's diving 9-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds left gives the Packers a 21-17 victory over the Falcons in the final football game at County Stadium.

Sept. 11, 1995, at Chicago. Favre throws a 99-yard touchdown pass to Robert Brooks -- becoming only the eighth QB in league history to do so -- and the Packers beat the Bears 27-24.

Nov. 12, 1995, vs. Chicago at Lambeau. Playing with a severely sprained left ankle that forced him to the bench in the previous week's game at Minnesota and would eventually require offseason surgery, Favre throws five touchdown passes in a 35-28 victory over the Bears.

Dec. 24, 1995, vs. Pittsburgh at Lambeau. Favre rolls out and is hit hard by three Steelers defenders, forcing the Packers to call timeout and sending Favre to the sidelines coughing up blood. He returns to throw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mark Chmura on the next play. The Packers' 24-19 victory clinches the division title.

Jan. 6, 1996, at San Francisco. Favre completes 21 of 28 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers knock the defending Super Bowl champion 49ers out of the playoffs with a 27-17 victory.

Jan. 4, 1997, vs. San Francisco at Lambeau. Playing in rough weather conditions, Favre completes only 11 of 15 passes for 79 yards, but the Packers roll to a 35-14 playoff victory over the 49ers.

Jan. 12, 1997, vs. Carolina at Lambeau Field. Favre is 19-of-29 for 292 yards in the Packers' NFC Championship game victory over the Panthers, 30-13.

Jan. 26, 1997. In Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome. Favre is 14-of-27 for 246 yards and no interceptions to beat the New England Patriots 35-21 -- the Packers' first championship in 29 years. Favre throws a 54-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison on his first throw of the game. Later, he throws a Super Bowl-record 81-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman.

Jan. 11, 1998, at San Francisco. Trudging through the mud in sloppy San Francisco, Favre is 16-of-27 for 222 yards and a touchdown as the Packers beat the 49ers 23-10 to advance to the Super Bowl for the second straight season, where they lose to the Denver Broncos 31-24.

Dec. 3, 2001, at Jacksonville. Favre throws for 362 yards and three touchdowns, but wins with his feet. Favre's 6-yard touchdown run with 1:30 remaining -- his first rushing touchdown in three years -- gives the Packers a come-from-behind 28-21 victory.

Nov. 2, 2003, at Minnesota. One game after breaking the thumb on his right hand, Favre throws three touchdowns in a 30-27 victory over the Vikings.

Dec. 22, 2003, at Oakland. Playing on Monday Night Football the day after his father, Irvin, died, Favre is 22-of-30 for 399 yards and four touchdowns as the Packers beat the Oakland Raiders 41-7.

Jan. 4, 2004, at Lambeau. Favre throws for 319 yards to get the Packers to overtime, and Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck -- Favre's former understudy -- proclaims after the coin flip that "We want the ball and we're gonna score!" They don't. Hasselbeck throws an interception that is returned for a touchdown and the Packers win 33-27 in overtime.

Nov. 14, 2004, vs. Minnesota at Lambeau Field. Favre throws four touchdown passes in a game for the 18th time in his career, but the Vikings rally to tie the game with 1:20 remaining. Favre drives the Packers to a last-second field goal and a 34-31 victory.

Dec. 31, 2006, at Chicago. Favre throws for 285 yards and a touchdown a 26-7 victory over the Bears, the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFC. Favre gets choked up in a television interview after the game, leading some to believe he had played his final game. But after once again mulling retirement, he decides to return.

Sept. 30, 2007, at Minnesota. Favre throws his record-breaking 421st career touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, breaking Dan Marino's career record in a 23-16 victory.

Oct. 29, 2007 at Denver. Favre throws an 82-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings on the first play from scrimmage in overtime, leading the Packers to a 19-13 victory.

Jan. 12, 2008 vs. Seattle at Lambeau. Favre frolics in heavy snow showers, hitting on three touchdown passes -- and hitting wide receiver Donald Driver with a snowball in a 42-20 Packers playoff romp.

Jan. 20, 2008 vs. New York Giants at Lambeau. Aside from a 90-yard touchdown to wide receiver Donald Driver, Favre generally struggles in subzero temperatures in the NFC Championship game. His interception in overtime sets up the Giants' game-winning field goal, and the Packers lose 23-20.

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My favorite moment was the Monday Night Football game in which Favre played the day after his father died.

What a performance with such a heavy heart. I tried to play a soccer game in a YMCA game a week after my father died and I could not concentrate one bit. This was in front of other players and two people watching.

I could only imagine going out on national television in the NFL the day after my father died.

That game was remarkable and I will always remember watching on that Monday evening.

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Records he holds as a quarterback:

Most AP NFL MVP awards: 3 (1995, 1996, 1997)
Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL): 253 (275 including playoffs)
Most wins by a starting quarterback (NFL) regular season career: 160 (Regular season record: 160-93)
Most career passing touchdowns: 442
Most career passing yards: 61,655
Most career pass completions: 5,377
Most career pass attempts: 8,758
Most career interceptions thrown: 288
Most career games with at least three touchdowns: 63

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May be so lucky to be blessed with another Favre in the generations to come...