Teams
- Atlanta Falcons (1991)
- Green Bay Packers (1992-2007)
- New York Jets (2008)
- Minnesota Vikings (2009-2010)
Accolades
- Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Super Bowl Champion (XXXI)
- 3x NFL Most Valuable Player (1995-1997)
- NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- 11x Pro Bowl (1992-1993, 1995-1997, 2001-2003, 2007-2009)
- 3x First-Team All-Pro (1995-1997)
- 3x Second-Team All-Pro (2001-2002, 2007)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1995)
- 2x Bert Bell Award (1995-1996)
“Brett Favre’s in the top-5 as far as the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. He was a gunslinger and he wasn’t afraid to fail. That’s what made him great.”
—John Elway, Hall of Fame Quarterback, Denver Broncos (source)
With all due respect to the great John Elway, my algorithm doesn’t have Brett Favre quite that high. That said, the point is salient. Favre’s impact on the game was incredible. He was the key factor on the field in the revival of a Green Bay Packers franchise that was mostly irrelevant throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. His longevity and durability were astounding. And, with the game on the line, he was going to hurl that ball as hard as he possibly could into the end zone, risk of interception be damned. Whether you loved or loathed the guy, you absolutely had to watch him.
Brett Favre was taken in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons as the 33rd overall pick and was the third quarterback taken, following McGwire and Todd Marinovich. But Favre did not have a big fan in Head Coach Jerry Glanville, who apparently did not care for his rookie quarterback’s tardiness and lack of preparation. Favre would only attempt four passes in 1991, not completing a single one, and getting picked off twice (with one returned for a touchdown). But he did have a big fan in Green Bay’s General Manager, Ron Wolf. And after the ’91 season, the Packers’ GM traded Atlanta a first round pick for the young gunslinger out of Southern Miss.
Favre would quickly get playing time in 1992, first filling in for an ineffective Don Majkowski in Week 2 against Tampa Bay. But a week later, against Cincinnati, Majkowski would go down with an ankle injury. Favre would step in and throw two fourth quarter TD passes in leading G.B. to a comeback victory and their first win of the year. The next week, Head Coach Mike Holmgren would officially name him the starting QB for Green Bay, a role he would not relinquish for the next 15 years. He would help a Packers team that had gone 4-12 the previous year to a 9-7 season, just missing the playoffs due to a Week 17 loss at Minnesota. Still, the message was clear: Favre was now the man in Green Bay.
Brett Favre would enhance a reputation as a high-risk high-reward player in 1993 by throwing a league-most 24 INTs, but also finishing fifth with 19 TD passes. The Pack would again go 9-7, but this time it was enough to sneak into the final Wild Card spot. Facing NFC Central champs Detroit in the first round, Favre would hit receiver Sterling Sharpe for a 40-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to put Green Bay up for good, 28-24. Favre with finish with 222 yards of offense, three TDs, and one pick. Not bad for a first career playoff game. Facing defending (and eventual) Super Bowl Champions the Dallas Cowboys the following week, Favre would throw for 331 yards and two touchdowns, but also two interceptions in the 27-17 loss.
With a season on the brink in ’94, Favre would help the Pack overcome a 6-7 start by winning out and earning Green Bay its second straight Wild Card berth. He became a much more disciplined quarterback that season, with his 33 TD passes good enough for second in the league, while his interceptions plummeted to 14. His 90.7 passer rating trailed only Steve Young for the NFL’s best. The Packers would again best Detroit in the Wild Card Round, 16-12. Favre would throw no TDs, nor turn the ball over, but throw for 262 yards in the win. But his team would be crushed the following week in a rematch with Dallas, 35-9. Favre would pass for 211 yards, no TDs, and one INT in the loss.
While the results of 1994 were similar to the previous year for Green Bay, one thing was certain, they now had a star in Brett Favre. In 1995, he would emerge as arguably the game’s best player, earning his first MVP award. He led all quarterbacks in passing yards (4,413) and TD passes (38) while guiding Green Bay to an 11-5 breakthrough of a season. Despite winning the NFC Central, they were again forced to participate in Wild Card weekend. Hosting Favre’s former team, the Atlanta Falcons, four first half touchdowns would help Green Bay put the game away early. The Packers’ QB would throw for 199 yards and three TDs in the 37-20 win. Nor would he be intimated facing the defending Super Bowl Champion 49ers in San Francisco. Three first half touchdowns would help the Pack get the jump on S.F. In the 27-17 win, Favre would have 310 yards of offense and two TDs. Only one quarter away from the Super Bowl though, Green Bay would fall in the NFC Championship game to a familiar foe, the Dallas Cowboys, letting go of a 27-24 lead in the final period. Yet, Favre’s effort was tremendous in throwing for 307 yards, three TDs, but also two picks in the 38-27 season-ender.
The Green Bay Packers had been showing gradual improvement every year with Favre under Center. Following this trajectory, they were due to emerge as one of the league’s elite teams in 1996. They did, and in a dominating 13-3 season, Favre would win his second straight NFL MVP award. His 39 TD passes were the league’s best, while finishing second in QB rating (95.8) and fourth in passing yards (3,899). Green Bay outclassed San Francisco in the Divisional Round 35-14. Favre would need to throw only 15 passes and 79 yards, with one TD, in the win. Looking for revenge in the NFC Championship Game, Green Bay would get a fourth consecutive playoff rematch with Dall…… second-year franchise Carolina? The Panthers, who had played their first NFL regular season game less than 18 months prior, came into Green Bay after shocking the Cowboys the prior week. But the young and motivated team was no match for the Packers, who would win 30-13 and make their first Super Bowl in nearly 30 years. Favre would have two turnovers against Carolina, but overcome that with two TDs and 306 yards of total offense in helping make sure the Pack would be back in the Big Game.
In Super Bowl XXXI, Favre and the Packers would face a surprising New England Patriots team led by two-time Super Bowl winning Head Coach Bill Parcells (with the N.Y. Giants), and a young strong-armed quarterback in Drew Bledsoe. After the Pats punted on their first possession, Brett Favre would throw his first career pass in a Super Bowl for 54 yards to Andre Rison to put Green Bay ahead 7-0. New England would actually lead 14-10 at the end of the first quarter, but the Packers would dominate from there. Favre would not win MVP (that would go to return man Desmond Howard who scored the game’s final TD on a 99-yard kickoff return), but he would have an MVP-worthy game 258 yards of offense, three touchdowns, and no turnovers, in bringing Lombardi home to Green Bay.
Following their exception 1996 campaign, the Packers were prohibitive favorites to repeat in ’97. With everyone gunning for the defending champs, Green Bay was not flustered. They would again go 13-3, with Favre winning his third consecutive MVP award (shared with Detroit running back Barry Sanders). He would again throw the most TD passes in the league with 35, and finish second in passing yardage with 3,867. They would fend off an up-and-coming Tampa Bay Buccaneers team with a monster defense in the Divisional Round. Favre would throw two picks, but have a touchdown and 190 yards through the air in the 21-7 victory. Then, against San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game, the Packers would cruise to a 23-10 win with Favre’s 222 passing yards, one touchdown, and no turnovers in helping secure Green Bay’s second straight Super Bowl appearance.
The Packers would come in to Super Bowl XXXII as 11-point favorites. But their opponents, a 12-4 Denver Broncos team still being led by veteran quarterback John Elway, were no slouches, having had to win three postseason games to get to this spot. Green Bay would strike first, as Favre connected with Antonio Freeman on a 22-yard touchdown in the game’s opening drive. But unlike their other five playoff games from their last two seasons, the Packers wouldn’t cruise in this one. They would continuously exchange blows with the Broncos, as both teams managed to score in every quarter. Down by seven, the Packers would tie the game at 24 to begin the fourth quarter when Favre hit Freeman again, this time for a 13-yard TD. But with under two minutes to play, Denver would go ahead 31-24. Needing to find the end zone, Favre would complete four straight passes to get his team to Denver’s 31. But three consecutive incompletions saw the Pack run out of downs. The Broncos would hold on for a 31-24 upset of the Packers. Despite two turnovers, Favre was otherwise tremendous with 256 passing yards and three touchdowns in the loss.
Green Bay would have another terrific year in 1998. They would go 11-5 while Favre would lead in the NFL in both passing yards (4,212) and completion percentage (63.0%). But they would not return to the Super Bowl after falling in the final seconds to San Francisco in the Wild Card Round. While Favre had two interceptions on the day, he also had 292 yards passing and two TDs (including one with two minutes to play in what seemed like the game winner). This letdown would be follow by two seasons of setbacks. After the departure of Coach Holmgren, Green Bay would hire Ray Rhodes in the same position, but give him the boot after the Pack went 8-8 in 1999. Then in 2000, Green Bay would go 9-7 under new Head Coach Mike Sherman, but fail to make the playoffs. Favre’s play would see a dropoff as well. He would throw more INTs (23) in ’99 than TDs (22). Then in 2000, he would throw only 20 TDs. This after five straight years of 30+ touchdown passes, as he saw his QB rating decline below 80.0 in both years.
But Coach Sherman had a plan, and Favre would return to form in 2001. Green Bay would go 12-4 while Favre would finish third in the NFL with 3,921 passing yards, and tied for second with 32 TD passes. The Pack would also win their first postseason game in four years, a 25-15 Wild Card Round win over San Francisco. Favre was excellent, going 22-for-29 for 269 yards, with two TDs, and one INT in the win. But in the Divisional Round, they would get spanked by Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams 45-17. Favre would throw for 216 yards and two touchdowns, but also six interceptions, which has the dubious distinction of being a postseason record in the Super Bowl era. In 2002, Green Bay would go 12-4 to win the NFC North. But in the Divisional Round, they would be absolutely stunned by Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons 27-7. It would the first time that the Packers had ever lost a postseason home game. Favre would have 247 yards passing and a touchdown, but also three turnovers in the upset.
In 2003, Favre would lead the NFL in TD passes for the fourth time, with 32 of them. Green Bay would finish 10-6 and host their former Head Coach Mike Holmgren, and his Seattle Seahawks, in the Divisional Round. The game was a tight one all the way through, and went into overtime with the score tied at 27. After winning the coin toss, Seattle starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (also previously a back-up to Favre in Green Bay) said into the ref’s mic “We want the ball, and we’re going to score.” But on Seattle’s second drive of OT, Hasselbeck would fire a pick-six to Al Harris, and Green Bay would triumph 33-27. The following week, Favre would hit receiver Robert Ferguson on two first quarter TD passes to put the Pack up 14-0. He would finish with 180 passing yards and an INT in addition to the two TDs. But Philadelphia would chip away and eventually win the game in overtime, 20-17. It was another tough ending to an otherwise great Packers season.
The 2004 Packers would win the NFC North, thereby making their fourth consecutive playoff appearance. Favre would throw for 4,088 yards (fifth among QBs) and 30 TDs (fourth in the league). But they would lose their second home playoff game in three years, their playoff march thwarted early by Daunte Culpepper and the Vikings 31-17. Favre had 216 yards passing and a touchdown, but also four critical interceptions. While the playoff loss was a disappointment, the entire 2005 season would be a disaster. For the only time in the Brett Favre era, the Packers would finish below .500 at a miserable 4-12. Favre would throw a league-worst 29 interceptions and only 20 touchdowns, while his passer rating fell to 70.9. The nightmare season would cost Coach Sherman his job.
The Packers would improve to 8-8 in 2006 under new Head Coach Mike McCarthy, but relied on an end-of-season four game win streak just to make it to .500. Favre would throw just as many picks as touchdowns (18) and again finish with a passer rating just above 70.0. But Green Bay would come out of nowhere to dominate in 2007. They would go 13-3 to win the NFC North and Favre returned to form, throwing for 28 TDs to 15 INTs and finished in the Top 10 in virtually every quarterbacking category. The playoffs got off to a great start as Green Bay once again hosted and defeated Coach Holmgren, Matt Hasselbeck, and the Seattle Seahawks 42-20. Favre was efficient and outstanding, going 18-for-23 for 173 yards with three TDs and no turnovers. Only a game from the third Super Bowl of the Brett Favre era, Green Bay would host Eli Manning and the New York Giants in a see-saw affair that went to overtime tied at 20. But on the first drive of OT, backed up at their own 28, Favre would be intercepted. Giants’ kicker Lawrence Tynes would boot a 47-yarder less than two minutes later to put the G-Men in the Super Bowl 23-20. They would go on to be an undefeated New England Patriots team in one of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport. Green Bay’s excellent season had become just a footnote and the great Brett Favre retired shortly after the season concluded.
But then he UN-retired! But with heir-apparent Aaron Rodgers having waited in the wings for three seasons, Green Bay was ready to unleash their former first round pick. Still owning the rights to Favre, they traded him to the New York Jets for conditional draft picks. While things began well for the Jets in 2008, with starts of 8-3 and of 9-5, two losses at the end of the season cost the 9-7 Jets a playoff spot. Favre would pass for 3,472 yards, but throw for TDs and INTs in equal measure (22). The Favre gamble and poor finish would cost Head Coach Eric Mangini his job, and Favre would sign with the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason.
Brett Favre’s 2009 season defied all expectations. He would pass for more than 4,200 yards. His 68.4% completion percentage would be the best of his career. And despite his penchant for throwing interceptions, he would only throw seven in 16 games, with his 1.3% INT rate actually the best among all quarterbacks. Plus, at 12-4, the Vikings were NFC North champs. In the Divisional Round, Favre and the Vikes would absolutely destroy the Cowboys 34-3. In a brilliant performance, Favre would pass for 234 yards and four touchdowns to once again get within a game of the Super Bowl. In New Orleans for the NFC Championship Game, the two dome teams battled it out to a 28-28 tie with under three minutes to play. Favre and running back Adrian Peterson were able to drive Minnesota to the Saints’ 33 with 19 ticks on the clock. After a five-yard penalty, Favre dropped back to throw deep, but his pass was intercepted, and the game went to overtime. In the OT, New Orleans went 39 yards in 11 plays, and kicked a 40-yard field goal to head to their first ever Super Bowl, 31-28. Favre blew a chance to get his team a field goal at the end of regulation. Now he didn’t have a chance to make up for it in overtime. After the season, the NFL changed the rule that a field goal made on the first drive of OT no longer automatically won the game. Small consolation for Favre and the Vikings.
The magic was gone in 2010. Favre struggled to his worst career season, averaging fewer than 200 yards passing per game, and throwing 19 interceptions to only 11 touchdowns. Minnesota fell to a forgettable 6-10 record, and Head Coach Brad Childress was relieved of his duties after a 3-7 start. But the most surprising thing that happened, was when Brett Favre did not play in Week 14 against the Giants due to a sprained shoulder. The missed start was the first for Favre in his pro career, and ended a streak of 297 consecutive starts, an NFL record by 27 games. He would play the following week though against the Chicago Bears, a team he had dominated his entire career. In the second quarter, he would get sacked and knocked unconscious, taking him out of the game. In a sad irony, this would be the final game for the NFL’s greatest ironman, as Favre would call it a day at the end of the season.
From September 1992 until December 2010, Brett Favre never missed a start. This despite getting pummeled over the course of two decades. In 19 seasons as a starter, he only had two losing seasons; two of them. And one was in his final year, at age 41. And he was mostly excellent during those years, barring a few lulls in the middle. Really as Favre went, so did the Packers. In the five seasons in Green Bay where his passer rating dipped below 80.0, the Packers were 38-42 (.475) in the regular season. In those other 11 seasons, they were 122-51 (.705). If there’s any nitpicking to be done regarding his on-field performance, it’s that he was so confident in his right arm that it often got him into trouble, notably several times in game-altering situations. Ultimately, Brett Favre was as prolific as they come, by wins, by stats, and by pure longevity. I don’t agree with John Elway that Favre is one of the five greatest ever to play the position, but you can absolutely make a compelling argument in regards to that.
Chart
| Season | W-L% | Tot Y/G | Tot TD/G | Tot TO/G | Y/C/Y/A | Cmp % | TD% | Int% |
| Reg Season | 0.070 | 0.038 | 0.104 | 0.002 | 0.009 | 0.055 | 0.101 | -0.009 |
| Playoffs | 0.023 | 0.009 | 0.097 | 0.007 | 0.067 | 0.037 | 0.153 | -0.043 |
Longevity Bonus = 3.1 Title Bonus = 1.0
Index Score = 6.406 (average QB = 0.0)
Deviation Rank (out of 155)
| Season | W-L% | Tot Y/G | Tot TD/G | Tot TO/G | Y/C/Y/A | Cmp % | TD% | Int% |
| Reg Season | 24th | 30th | 15th | 116th | 80th | 29th | 16th | 113th |
| Playoffs | 41st | 46th | 26th | 69th | 36th | 41st | 19th | 109th |
Why is he on the Top 25 list?
In the regular season, Brett Favre is a Top 30 guy in five of eight categories: total touchdowns per game (15th), TDs per pass attempt (16th), win-loss percentage (24th), completion percentage (29th), and total yards per game (30th). He also put up terrific postseason numbers, finishing in the Top 50 in six of eight categories. He gets a bonus point to his index score for the Super Bowl win. But the biggest helper is that he was a primary starter in the league for 19 years in an era where the average starter only played 4.6 seasons. This gives him an additional 3.1-point bump, the largest longevity bonus of any QB in this study.
Why isn’t he higher on the list?
There’s only one thing that prevents Favre from being higher, and it’s his propensity for turnovers. Brett Favre completed a lot of passes in his career, but many to the opposition. In the regular season, he’s 113th in terms of deviation from the mean for INT rate, exacerbated by leading the league in interceptions three different times. He’s also 116th in total turnovers per game, aided by 166 career regular season fumbles. In the postseason, he largely mitigated his fumbling issues, but still finishes at 109th for interception rate, thanks to 30 picks in 24 playoff games.
The Quarterback Project 