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This Day In Sports…March 4, 2008:
Legendary Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre announces his retirement after 17 NFL seasons. Seriously. Favre had just completed one of his best seasons in a career that included two Super Bowls and NFL records at the time for passing yards, touchdown passes, wins, and—most impressively—275 consecutive starts. But the Green Bay front office had become impatient with Favre’s lack of success in the playoffs, and the Packers had Aaron Rodgers waiting in the wings after drafting him three years earlier. Although Favre had been saying he wanted to play one more year, at his retirement announcement he claimed he didn’t want to.
Well, by the summer, Favre decided he wanted to play again. The Packers had fully committed to Rodgers, so he asked for his unconditional release so he could seek another team. Green Bay refused, and things were a bit acrimonious at that point. Favre actually reported to Packers training camp, but the team finally traded him to the New York Jets shortly thereafter. His 2008 season with the Jets was forgettable, as he led the NFL in interceptions with 22. Hence, his second NFL retirement in February, 2009.
Favre, of course, would reappear in August of that year as a member of the Packers’ hated rivals, the Minnesota Vikings. His first season with the Vikings was actually one of the best of his career. Favre threw for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns with only seven interceptions, his fewest as an NFL starter. He was named to his 11th Pro Bowl and led Minnesota to the NFC Championship Game, with the game going to overtime before the eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints prevailed.
Despite Favre’s comeback story, it was reported before the 2010 campaign that the season would be his last. But he did hit a number of milestones that year, becoming the first NFL QB to throw for 70,000 yards and 500 touchdowns. His final totals were 71,838 yards and 508 TDs (both career records are now held by Tom Brady). Also coming to an end was Favre’s remarkable streak of 297 consecutive regular season starts—a mark he still holds and may forever. His third and final retirement came immediately after the season.
There is a Boise State footnote to the Favre story. Former Broncos star Korey Hall had started at fullback in his rookie season during Favre’s final year in Green Bay, and fellow Boise State alum Daryn Colledge was a Packers offensive line starter during Favre’s final two campaigns. Both Hall and Colledge earned Super Bowl rings following the 2010 season with Rodgers as the signal-caller.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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