Favre to Have Jersey Retired on Thanksgiving Day
It’s about damn time that Brett Lorenzo Favre had his jersey retired in Lambeau Field, and it is finally set to happen on Thanksgiving Day. Green Bay will play host to the longtime rival Chicago Bears while giving thanks to Favre and his glorious career, which included so many dominating performances against Chicago. Favre often looked unbeatable at Lambeau against Chicago, so it is only appropriate that he casts a shadow over our southern neighbors one last time.
Though his reputation will forever be sullied after stints in New York and Minnesota, he is and forever will be Green Bay’s second son after Bart Starr. Favre came to Green Bay during a frighteningly long stretch of at worst horrific, and at best mediocre, Packers football teams. Favre, along with Mike Holmgren, Ron Wolf, and Reggie White, helped turn the Packers from perennial dungeon dweller to a league force within a matter of years. Nobody in the Packers organization has looked back since, as they have only had two losing seasons since 1991. Winning is now expected in Wisconsin, which surely says something about the culture in the NFL’s smallest market. Favre played his best years in Wisconsin and has three MVP awards and one Super Bowl ring to show for it (as well as a good chunk of money in his savings account).
Still, after Favre waffled on whether or not to retire one too many times, the starting quarterback job was given to Aaron Rodgers. Even though Favre never made an effort to embrace Rodgers as his successor, forcing Favre out of Green Bay led to a feeling of dismay among Packer fans. Favre was traded to the New York Jets where he had a little snafu with a picture phone, and didn’t provide the wins to overcome that. When he chose to don the color purple and play in the Minnesota, many fans that were on the Favre bandwagon jumped off about as quickly as they had climbed on. Still, fans are willing to forgive these transgressions because Rodgers has kept the winning seasons coming in Green Bay, and Favre never did win a Super Bowl in Minnesota. Surely things would be different if he now wore two rings instead of one.
At the end of the day, Favre will always be revered by some as the best quarterback to ever wear the Green and Gold. The fact that he is in the discussion as one of the best quarterbacks of all time is a testament to his career, his longevity, and his play.
Prior to Favre coming to Green Bay there had never been a character so seemingly down-to-earth, or someone who seemed to embrace the Wisconsin way of life as much as Brett did. There never was a Brett Favre before Brett Favre, and there never will be another man quite like him.
He will receive the cheers he deserves when he steps onto the frozen tundra again, and he will take his spot, rightfully, on the hallowed walls of Lambeau Field.
