The spring of 1991. In some ways it seems like yesterday. In others it seems like a lifetime.
It was in the spring of 1991 during the NFL draft when the Atlanta Falcons selected a relatively unknown quarterback from a school that is not exactly a football power. When the announcement was made, the speaker at the podium mispronounced his name. It’s something I imagine Brett Favre looks back on and laughs at now.
After a rather bumpy start to his professional career, #4 has become arguably one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Certainly of the top five of all time and a sure fire Hall of Famer. Who knew when the Falcons selected him back in the days of Back of Black, MC Hammer and Travis Tritt on the sideline and Prime Time and Show Time on the field, that we would still be talking about him in the year 2010. Who knew?
When Favre arrived in the big city of Atlanta, the kid from Mississippi was like a child in a candy store. He couldn’t resist the nightlife and all the big city had to offer. While Atlanta Falcon coach Jerry Glanville saw promise in Favre, he didn’t think he was dedicated enough to be a professional quarterback and after one less than memorable season in Atlanta, Favre was traded to Green Bay.
Of course, in Glanville’s defense, who would have known Favre would have turned into a Hall of Famer, multi-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl winner and one of the most talked about players in the history of the game. He couldn’t have known. No one knew.
Even in 1992, Favre and Green Bay made a trip to the Georgia Dome to play Glanville and the Atlanta Falcons. The result? The Falcons won. A young Favre hadn’t reached his peak yet although with a couple more years it was evident something special was certainly there and credit had to go to Packer coach Mike Holmgren for seeing it.
Holmgren’s work with quarterbacks went back years to his time as an assistant at Brigham Young University tutoring the likes of Steve Young, another future Hall of Famer. Holmgren worked with Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers for years before becoming head coach of the Packers.
A quarterbacks coach if there ever was one, Holmgren and Favre become the ultimate winning team finally winning a Super Bowl in 1996 and advancing to another before falling to the Denver Broncos.
Favre continued playing for the Packers even after Holmgren left for Seattle. Eventually #4 cut ties with Green Bay in one of the most talked about NFL stories of all time. He landed in New York and played for a season for the Jets before “retiring” once again.
The retirement ended and now Favre and his Wranglers are in Minnesota, one game away from the Super Bowl. It’s truly an amazing story and one which defies the odds and the boundaries of age as Favre has reached the 40 mark.
As I watched the Vikings race past the Cowboys this past Sunday, I found myself cheering for Favre and Minnesota. I have no connection or tie to that franchise but, to me, Favre is just a great story.
Plus, I know once upon a time he was part of my team.
It was during a time of boxing champions on the sideline and when the head coach wore cowboy boots, a big belt buckle and all black. A time that seems lights years ago on one hand but just like yesterday on another.
Here’s to that time and here’s to Brett Favre and the young fan in all of us.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
