Brett Favre

Brett Favre is the greatest Green Bay Packer of all time.

Chew on that for a second and see how it tastes.

Don Hutson certainly merits consideration. So does Bart Starr. But when the accomplishments of every Packers great are placed under the microscope, it's Favre by a whisker.

Favre set virtually every NFL passing record during his 16 seasons in Green Bay. He was the NFL's first player to win three MVPs. Favre is the game's all-time leader in wins with 186 and 160 of those came with the Packers. Favre never missed a start with Green Bay, and he played in more games (255) than any other Packer. Favre also led the rebirth of an organization that had gone through more than two decades of despair.

Perhaps what separates Favre more than anything is he thrived during an era when football has never been more sophisticated. Hutson (1935–1945) played at a time when football was a weekend event and many of the league's greats still left for war. Starr (1956–1971) played with 225-pound linemen at a time many players got off-season jobs. Today, players get bigger, faster, and stronger by the year. And, remarkably, Favre maintained his greatness and never left the lineup.

Favre's popularity among Packers fans took a hit when he chose to play for the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. Still, what he did in Green Bay may never be equaled. So by the narrowest of margins, Favre gets the nod.

"One thing, I think it's by era," said Ron Wolf, the Packers' former general manager and the man who traded for Favre in February 1992. "I don't think you can pinpoint, but I think certainly in his era he'd be in the top five. When you think of somebody now, you think of the great tradition you guys [have] up there, you're part of that great tradition of the Green Bay Packers. So for Brett Favre to be now said to be the greatest player ever to play for the Green Bay Packers, that's rare air."

Wolf had the courage to trade a first-round draft choice to Atlanta for Favre, who was a second-rounder himself the previous year. But Wolf's deal will go down as one of the most lopsided in league history.

Favre replaced an injured Don Majkowski in Week 3 of the 1992 season and made his first NFL start the following week. Between then and his final start in the 2007 NFC Championship Game, Favre never missed a game — a remarkable run of 275 games, including playoffs. If ever the term "Iron Man" was invented for a player, it was Favre.

"I was fortunate I got to play with Brett Favre for nine years," said former Packers guard Marco Rivera. "His presence in the huddle, his leadership, it forced everybody to play better. You had to bring your 'A' game when you were going to be in Brett Favre's huddle."

Favre certainly brought his "A" game most weeks.

Favre and Mike Holmgren — who coached him from 1992 to 1998 — butted heads early as the stubborn coach tried taming the young gunslinger. But as Favre matured, the Packers took off. Favre led the Packers to their first postseason win in 11 years in 1993, and another the following season.

His game then reached new heights from 1995 to 1997. Each of those three seasons, Favre was named the Associated Press' MVP. In that time, Favre threw an NFL-best 112 touchdown passes against just 42 interceptions. The Packers were 37–11 in that stretch, including a remarkable 23–1 at home. And Green Bay went 7–2 in the postseason, highlighted by a win in Super Bowl XXXI and a trip to Super Bowl XXXII.

"He truly was as gifted a player as I have ever seen," Holmgren said.

Favre accomplished this all despite developing an addiction to Vicodin, one that led to a 46-day stay in a rehabilitation facility before the 1996 season. But he came back stronger than ever and led the Packers to their first Super Bowl win in 29 years.

"I learned a lot through the '90s of [Favre's] ability to take a receiver who's not even open and putting the ball in a spot where that guy can catch the football," former 49ers quarterback Steve Young said of Favre. "Instead of kicking field goals, Brett Favre was throwing touchdowns when most weren't."

When Holmgren left after the 1998 season, there was an enormous adjustment period for Favre. But he had the Packers back in the postseason by 2001 and led Green Bay to NFC North championships from 2002 to 2004.

Aside from the Super Bowl loss in 1997, Favre's most devastating moment probably came in the 2007 NFC Championship Game. There, he threw an interception on the second play of overtime, which helped the Giants topple the Packers 23–20.

Six weeks later, Favre announced his retirement. He later changed his mind, which led to his controversial trade to the New York Jets on August 6, 2008. Many fans were livid with general manager Ted Thompson for trading Favre — despite the fact Favre...