In the off-season, the Packers took a giant leap towards respectability by signing one of the first big-time free agents in league history. Few expected Reggie White, an all-pro defensive end that left the Philadelphia Eagles, to end up in Green Bay. White did, spurning a lucrative offer from San Francisco, and it was the final corner piece to a championship puzzle.

"He was an integral part of the Packers' success, no question," Favre said following White's death in 2004. "Had it not been for Reggie, we don't make it to the Super Bowl.

"That's how important he was to the team. When he signed as a free agent, he changed the way people in and out of football looked at Green Bay as an NFL city. He helped the franchise get back to where it had been ... at the top."

In 1993, Favre and White he led the Packers to the playoffs for the first time since 1972. In the wild-card contest at the Pontiac Silverdome, Favre threw the game-winning touchdown to Sterling Sharpe; a 40-yard bomb with 55 seconds left. The Packers would go on to lose next week at Dallas, starting a career-long string of troubles for Favre at Texas Stadium.

Favre clinched another playoff berth in 1994 -- and ended the Packers' Milwaukee run -- in memorable fashion, scrambling and leaping over an Atlanta defender with 14 seconds left for a victory in the final game played at Milwaukee County Stadium.

"To me that was the game that jump-started our rise to prominence," Favre told longtime reporter Cliff Christl. "When I think of County Stadium, I think of that game."

Following that game, kicker Chris Jacke said the play summed up the third-year quarterback.

"It was vintage Brett Favre," then-kicker Chris Jacke said. "Brilliant and dumb at the same time."

Favre would win the first of his three consecutive NFL Most Valuable Player awards in 1995 after completing a league-best 4,413 yards. He set a team record with seven 300-yard passing games and led the NFC with 99.5 passer rating. The Packers, thanks to a dropped touchdown pass by the Steelers' Yancy Thigpen, finished the season 11-5 to win their first NFC Central Division Championship since 1972 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the 1967 Ice Bowl.

The Packers lost that game, 38-27, to the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. It set the stage for a Super Bowl season to come, but not until after a pretty significant bump in the road.

Wild life & recovery

Favre played his way out of Atlanta thanks to a hard-partying lifestyle that went back to his days at Southern Mississippi. Late nights were commonplace for the young Favre, who maintained those habits when he arrived in Green Bay. He, along with tight end Mark Chmura and offensive lineman Frank Winters, was known to tear up the town. The "Three Amigos" were regular fixtures at area bars and were heralded as much for their ability to knock back beers as they were for their ability to pick apart defenses.

<< Back

Next >>

2 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by diesel1976 on March 5, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (report)

This day was coming sooner or later. Brett has given us his best and we are grateful, however, its time to move on to a new era of Packers football. We will see if Aaron Rogers can handle the pressure. If not the Packers will be like other teams and probably go through a number of quarter backs before we find "the one". We need to start taking advantage of free agency and not just the draft if the Packers want to be sucessful in the near future.

Posted by arks00 on March 5, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (report)

NO question he was one of the best players to play the game. But good for him. He gets to do what he wants to do. Its time for the team to move on...and WOW am I already sick of the people crying about it.