Super Bowl champion Brett Favre reflects on drive to compete, role concussions played during his career

Brett Favre stepped away from the NFL following the 2010 season. 

The Pro Football Hall of Famer was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991 and went on to play for the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings.

He finished his 20-year career with 508 passing touchdowns and more than 71,000 passing yards. Favre won one Super Bowl and earned three league MVP trophies during his storied career.

In the years since his retirement, Favre has gone on record about the number of concussions he believes he suffered during his two decades competing in the NFL. The retired quarterback revisited the head injuries during a recent appearance on OutKick’s “The Ricky Cobb Show.”

“I can’t change anything that’s happened, so there’s no use in crying over spilled milk. All I can say is, it was a wonderful career. Did I know then what we now know in regards to concussions? No, I didn’t know . . . no one knew concussions were as bad they were then,” Favre said. 

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Favre added that exiting a game due to a concussion was uncommon during his playing days.

“You would never come out of a game with a concussion, unless it was a major concussion where you blacked out for a period of time. That would probably be the only situation where you would come out of a game.”

Brett Favre has indicated his support for former President Donald Trump in the past. (Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Favre then admitted that he suffered a head injury on the final play of his NFL career.

“My last play actually was a major concussion, but I had multiple injuries . . . separated shoulders, sprained ankles, broken thumb on my throwing hand, the list goes on and on. But, what drove me… again I loved to play. I wanted to be one of those players that the organization did not have to worry about that position for a long time. And I was proud of the fact that they didn’t have to worry about that position for 16 years in Green Bay.”

During an appearance on “The Bubba Army” radio show in 2022, Favre discussed how concussions were less policed when he was at the peak of his career.

“Concussions happen all the time. You get tackled, and your head hits the turf, you see flashes of light or ringing in your ears, but you’re able to play — that’s a concussion,” he explained.

“So, based on that, [I’ve suffered] thousands. Had to be, because every time my head hit the turf, there was ringing or stars going, flash bulbs . . . but I was still able to play.”

One of Favre’s more notable concussions appeared to occur in 2004 when he was playing for the Packers. In a game against the New York Giants, he threw a touchdown pass to Javon Walker. However, it was later reported that Favre had no memory of throwing the pass — which was likely a symptom of a concussion.

Quarterback Brett Favre, #4 of the Green Bay Packers, attempts a pass against the New York Giants on October 3, 2004, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Favre also opened up about how passionate he was about taking the field as often as he could during his NFL playing days.

“No one wanted to play as much as I did. I loved to play the game, and think people, whether you were a fan or not, would agree . . . ‘That guy looks like he’s having fun,’” he told “The Ricky Cobb Show.”

“It was never orchestrated. It was never premeditated. I just went out there and played, and whatever happened, happened. I loved to play, and I think that in itself, more than anything, is what drove me all those years. I wanted to play, and I wanted to play at a high level.” 

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