Stanfel, who died a year ago at age 87, also was a seniors committee selection. He also wanted everybody to know something else about him.
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“I want you to know, Dad, that I spent the rest of my career trying to redeem myself”, Favre said, fighting back tears. “I would not be here before you today without my father, there’s no doubt whatsoever”.
He talked about meeting his future wife Deanna later that same night, and the two have been together ever since.
Favre took us back to the day after his dad, Irvin, died in December, 2003 – a day the Green Bay quarterback threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a memorable win over the Oakland Raiders.
“That night, I wanted to make sure I would make it to the Hall of Fame so I could acknowledge how important he was in my career and my life”. He described his dad as being “short on praise”, saying that he always pushed Favre to get better.
Until that moment, Favre said, he had never thought about the Hall of Fame. I remember sitting outside the coach’s office, say, on a Wednesday, waiting for my father to come out so we could leave.
His speech will most probably be off the cuff. “I say this from the bottom of my heart”.
Most agree that Favre should be in the Hall of Fame, but that doesn’t mean every Packer fan has moved on from the messy divorce near the end of his career. When Favre, who was the last man of the eight members of the 2016 class introduced, finally stepped onto the stage, he received an extended standing ovation from the crowd.
Recalling the story of his otherworldly game in Oakland the night after his father’s death, Favre said his wife Deanna told him on the emotional, private charter flight back to Green Bay and then MS that his dad, who was also his high school coach, couldn’t wait to introduce him on his Hall of Fame induction day. “Seeing all these people has me going again”.
“The fans is what makes this game possible”, Harrison said.
He was presented via video by Hall of Fame coach John Madden.
A second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 1991 NFL Draft, the former Southern Miss quarterback was traded to the Packers a year later. The renaissance was fueled by Harlan’s vision, Wolf’s courage, Mike Holmgren’s intellect, Reggie White’s dominance and Favre’s playmaking ability.
The NFL’s all-time career wins leader spoke at length of his father’s tough love and the motivation that provided. “I would not be here before you today without my father”. “That thought has stuck with me throughout my life”. There were many times Mike should’ve pulled me.
In the 24 seasons between Vince Lombardi’s retirement and Favre’s arrival, the Packers had five winning records and two playoff berths. Stabler was 12-of-19 for 180 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in the Raiders’ 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI.
Marvin Harrison, whose 143 receptions in 2002 are an NFL record, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
With time, the bad blood between Favre, the Packers and fans of the team subsided, and last summer, he was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame.
“Packer fans are pretty special”, Favre said. Then I found out. Did I make mistakes?
He talked about the first and only National Football League game he ever saw in person, between the Saints and Raiders on December 18, 1983, as a 14-year-old, and how he decided that day he wanted to be a quarterback when he watched a “long, gray-haired scruffy beard player” emerge from the tunnel and “the hair stood up on the back of my neck”.
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Also on that list of Favre understudies who then went on to become a starter were Ty Detmer (25 starts), Mark Brunell (151), Doug Pederson (17), Hasselbeck (160), Aaron Brooks (82) and Aaron Rodgers (126).
