Brett Favre’s enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday turned out to be an emotional affair, just like his stellar career.
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Back on that Monday night in Oakland in 2003, Brett Favre paid tribute to his father the best way he knew, by playing spectacularly the night after big Irvin’s death. When he was on the field, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him because you never knew what he was going to do. Favre said, “I spent the rest of my career trying to redeem myself and make him proud”.
The stage is set for Brett Favre’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ultimately he did and the result was one of the most memorable performances of his career, passing for 399 yards and four touchdowns en route to a 41-7 Packers victory.
“I’m a sports fan”. He opened by joking about maybe coming out of retirement for the Hall of Fame game on Sunday. “He was a tremendous part of my life”. Winging it got Favre to this point so it only made sense that he’d do it one last time. Its an excellent opportunity for them to impress not only their own coaching staffs, but to get something on video for the other clubs to see. “That I would make it to the Hall of Fame so I could acknowledge the fact of how important he was”.
Harrison, the record-setting wide receiver for the Colts, and Pace, a powerful offensive force at left tackle for the Rams, were the first members of the eight-man class of 2016 inducted into the hall.
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. And one time in particular Deana says to me… He says the moment when a player sees his work on stage is “scary and exciting”. And my father, for those who don’t know, chose to run the wishbone, which some of you young generation don’t know what that is, but it never entailed throwing.
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.
We’ll have more coverage of Favre’s induction on NBC26 Live at 10 after the Olympics. The renaissance was fueled by Harlan’s vision, Wolf’s courage, Mike Holmgren’s intellect, Reggie White’s dominance and Favre’s playmaking ability. “He’s one of the toughest and most demanding coaches you can be around”. I mean no disrespect to the Hall of Fame, I had dreamed of playing in the National Football League, believe me, way more than I thought about my school work. but I never thought of the Hall of Fame until that moment. If you had, somebody else might be standing here talking.
“This is tougher than any 3rd-and-15, I can assure you”, Favre said, as he continued.
Even in the twilight of his career, Favre found some success on the stat sheet with those teams, including leading the Vikings, a major rival of the Packers, to an NFC North title in 2009. Pace and the Rams won Super Bowl XXXVI. From 1988 to 1994, he posted double-digit sack totals in every season but one, and when it was over, Greene finished with more sacks – 160 – than any other linebacker in National Football League history (and third all time behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith).
A swashbuckler with no fear on the field – in addition to completing 6,300 passes for 71,838 yards and 508 touchdowns, he threw an NFL-high 336 interceptions – Favre was a three-time All-Pro and made 11 Pro Bowls.
In that game, he threw for 399 yards and 4 touchdowns with a near ideal passer rating of 154.9.
Being enshrined in the Hall of Fame brought Pace’s football career full circle.
“Packer fans are pretty special”, Favre said following a long ovation. Favre said. “Ultimately, the man says, ‘whatever.’ Am I right?”
Favre played 20 seasons and was selected to play in 11 Pro Bowls. When he learned this after his father’s passing, that became Favre’s new goal.
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