It was Aaron Rodgers’ week, but Brett Favre’s impact can’t be forgotten
This past week, Aaron Rodgers was recognized as the best player in the NFL by his peers who voted him to that spot in NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2012.
That was the biggest news emanating from the NFL.
But there was other news as well, most notably that coming from the interview a former Packers quarterback gave to NFL Network’s Deion Sanders where for the first time He Who Shall Not Be Named gave his most extensive praise for the man who succeeded him behind center in Green Bay.
Favre has had few words for the best player in the NFL – its MVP and its 2010 Super Bowl champion and MVP.
That is until now.
And that’s why many feel Brett Favre is finally softening his views about the franchise where he spent the best 16 years of his life.
In a story today on JSonline, Michael Hunt argues that Favre is indeed ready to extend the olive branch and that it’s about time. In reaction to that story, Profootballtalk.com’s Michael David Smith argues the same thing – that it’s time for Favre to come clean and for all Packers fans to forgive the player Ron Wolf calls the Packers’ all-time best.
I can’t disagree with any of the arguments. Yes, there are those out there who still carry a grudge. In my mind, all I can remember are the tons of memories and highlights the guy brought to an entire generation of football and Packers fans. He was football. He was the Green Bay Packers. And because of that, there will be a day in the next two years when Favre will make a triumphant return to have his number retired.
Whether he man-hugs Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy isn’t important. What he needs to do is allow all Packers fans to remember those warm fuzzies they felt so many times – as well as the anger they felt when he threw all those interceptions – including the one he threw as his last pass with the team. We were disappointed, yes, but we can’t let that one memory overtake all those good times.Part of the healing process is learning to understand and deal with the range of emotions.
Yes, the good news this week surrounded our current hero – Aaron Rodgers – as it should. However, percolating in the background was this story that will someday dominate our headlines.
Frankly, I can’t wait for that day. It will serve to bring us all back together, linking two generations of fans and players – as well as an entire franchise – in all that’s good.
To highlight and bring all this together, I’ve included below a comment that was left on the profootballtalk.com website. What this individual says is not only true, but emphasizes several points that make this topic so relevant.
Please read what this reader thinks. If you disagree, fine. But I feel there will be few who do …
"boothlustig says:Jun 30, 2012 3:56 PM"
"Favre played 16 years for the Packers with talent, toughness, ego, faults and insecurity. Favre leads GB to the ’07 Title Game and then Thompson decides to move on. Goes with Rodgers who had played 6 quarters in three years. Does Ted Thompson have guts?It was a great move for both. Favre earns about $50mill from the Jets and Vikes. Thompson knew that Favre could still play and that Minn was the perfect team for him. Why else the 2008 three number 1 penalty if the Jets traded him to Minn? Thompson gets a 3rd rounder for Favre and packages it in a trade on draft day 2009 with NE for Clay Matthews.Ted Thompson did what was best for the Packers when he made Aaron Rodgers the starter back in 200. Raymond T. Rivard photographFavre ends up on Minn in 2009 and kicks GB’s butt for 2 games. GB comes back in 2010 and kicks Favre’s Minn butt for 2 games and wins a Super Bowl.If Favre does not return to football in 2008 , GB may not have Matthews. Rodgers shows he is special with how he deals with pressure in ’08 opener in GB. Rodgers was not a great QB in 2005 and 2006. But he shut up, learned his craft, changed his throwing motion, got bigger, stronger, matured, figured out the West Coast offense, watched Favre and did not have to get beaten up the way Smith did in SF 2005 or the way Aikman did in Dall in 1989 or the way Favre did in 2005 and 2006 when Thompson rebuilt the offensive lines.Favre’s indecisiveness[I am retired. No wait. I want to play. You dont think I can play well then just watch me] worked out worked out well for both sides and it sure seemed to generate interest for the national media. It got tiresome the ’365 day make it stop’ updates but if he were not a good player doing things after age 37 that no QB had ever done, no one would have cared and no media outlet would have bothered."