4 Reasons Why Brett Favre Earned Our Respect

The years after Favre’s departure from the Packers have been difficult to stomach and the episode left a bitter taste in even the staunchest Packer fans’ mouth, so it was good to see him back in Green Bay where he belongs.

67,000 fans turned out at Lambeau Field to see Brett Favre talk for 20 minutes. They gave him a four minute standing ovation as he entered the stadium. He was brought to tears. In that moment the painful past vanished and the happy memories returned.

In the Atrium for the formal part of the ceremony, former General Manager Ron Wolf, the man who made the trade that brought Brett Favre to Green Bay, former head coach Mike Holmgren, who coached Green Bay to a Super Bowl victory, and former teammate Frank Winters shared their memories of Brett Favre. They were personal stories that touched at your heart, but also your funny bone.

In the audience were former coaches, teammates, Packers staff, and the Favre family. Why would so many people show up to an event in Green Bay to honor one person? It’s because Brett Favre earned our respect.

Here are four reasons why Brett Favre earned our respect:

Brett Favre had fun playing. It’s hard to imagine anyone playing the game which as much enthusiasm as Favre. In his younger days he would run off the field with a wide grin – his helmet in his hand pumping in the air. Sometimes he’d jump on his teammates, often times tackling them he was so excited about scoring a touchdown. He enjoyed his teammates, his opponents, the referees, and the media. We had fun watching him have fun. We fed off his energy.

Brett Favre played his heart out. Favre played the game like we want our heroes to play it. He gave it his best shot every Sunday. He gave everything he had  when he stepped onto that field. He played with integrity, with sportsmanship. He played hurt. He played when others wouldn’t or couldn’t play. We can never forget the game he played against the Oakland Raiders the day after his father passed away. He gave the best performance of his career. We admire people who can fight through adversity and perform at the highest level. We also marvel his 297 consecutive NFL starts – a record that will probably never be broken.

Brett Favre understood the history of the game and of the Packers. As a kid, he was a fan of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and dreamed of playing for the Cowboys. As a Packer, he grew especially close to Bart Starr, the former Packers quarterback who took the team to five NFL titles including the first two Super Bowls, and other members of those great Vince Lombardi teams. We respect him for respecting the game and the players who came before him.

Brett Favre cared for everyone in the Packers organization. During his acceptance speech the first person Favre thanked was Lee Remmel, the former Packers press agent and team historian. Remmel’s history with the team goes back to the days of Curly Lambeau. Remmel passed away earlier this year. Favre went on to thank former coaches, teammates, front office personnel, strength coaches, equipment managers, security staff, anyone who was a part of the Packers organization – at least 50 in all. It should be noted that Favre mentioned them all by name.

It says something when someone of his caliber acknowledges those in the background that never get recognition. His appreciation of them was genuine.

If there’s anything we can take away from Brett Favre’s career it’s this: in order to have a lasting impact on people you have to have fun at what you’re doing, give it your all, understand your chosen field and its history, and care about those you work with. You may not be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you’ll leave a legacy that no one can deny.