Favre's Impact Will Last Long

By Zachary Ingraham
SportsTicker Staff Writer

Brett Favre likely will never throw another pass in the NFL again, but his impact on the league is far from over. Favre informed the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday that he was retiring, ending a legendary 17-year career. But as the record-setting quarterback waits on a call from Canton, many of the current NFL signal-callers will be left trying to emulate his unique playmaking ability.

Favre, who holds NFL records with 61,655 passing yards, 442 touchdown passes and 160 career wins, is idolized by many of the quarterbacks in the league. "Brett is someone that I always held in the highest regard, first as a young person who grew up in Wisconsin, and then as a fellow NFL quarterback," said Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who often draws comparisons to Favre's gun-slinging style. "His style of play was as unique as it was effective. "I admired his skills, his leadership and especially his love for playing the game. You knew he was having fun when he played, and that made him fun to watch. He set the standard at the position for a long time."

A guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer, Favre possessed one of the strongest arms in NFL history. The Mississippi native built his legacy as a dynamic leader, guiding the Packers to a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in the 1997 Super Bowl - the franchise's first title in 29 years "The Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude," Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson said. "He has given Packers fans 16 years of wonderful memories, a Super Bowl championship among them, that will live on forever.

Brett's many accomplishments on the field are legendary." The only three-time MVP in NFL history, Favre's record of 253 consecutive regular-season starts commands admiration from his peers. "His record for most consecutive starts will never be broken," Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said. "It's one of the most amazing records in sports. I guarantee you, he gets an immense amount of respect from every quarterback in the NFL for that record." Favre's ironman streak, which dates to September 27, 1992, was just as awe-inspiring - if not more so - than the string of records he leaves behind. "As a fellow player, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Brett," Palmer said. "He's one of the quarterbacks I watched a lot and really looked up to as a young teenager and through college. As great a passer as he was, the thing I really admired was his toughness."

The MVP in 1995 and 1996 and co-winner of the award in 1997, Favre's mechanics were not the best in the NFL but his go-for-broke attitude allowed him to become one of the best and most revered players in the league's history. "It doesn't matter whether you're a Packers fan or a football fan - sports fans in general have appreciated watching Brett compete for 17 years and can only smile when reflecting on what he brought to the game," said NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci, who worked with Favre as the Packers' quarterbacks coach from 1992-95. "He was a coach's kid; he was raised around the game and understood the game," said Philadelphia coach Andy Reid, who spent seven seasons on Green Bay's coaching staff during the Favre era.

"He loved to play. That fearless, reckless-abandon style was what drove him to greatness." Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren, who was the Packers' head coach during Favre's Super Bowl win, was even more impressed with the nine-time Pro Bowler's accomplishments away from the field. "The thing that impresses me the most is what kind of a man and leader he has become off the field since I have known him," Holmgren said. "I have taken great joy in watching him develop as a person and father - perhaps even more so - than as a coach watching his quarterback." Favre surely will be missed, but he will also be remembered every time a quarterback converts a third down by escaping the pass rush and flipping an underhanded pass to a running back in the flat.