He’s in the News and He’s in the NPG Collection . . .

His records top the columns of all of the quarterback records in the almanac. He won two consecutive NFL Most Valuable Player Awards and shared a third. And he received a Super Bowl ring after leading the Green Bay Packers to victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. And although he has won many games with excellent passing and smart leadership during the two-minute drill, he has also blown a few playoff games with eleventh-hour interceptions.

He holds the record for consecutive starts by an NFL quarterback and has not missed a day of work since 1992; simply put, this, one of his many superlatives, places Brett Favre in the same tier as such athletes as Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken Jr.

He is, arguably, one of the most exciting players who ever led a football team. On Monday night, December 22, 2003, he threw for four touchdowns and 399 yards against the Oakland Raiders, a day after the death of his father. This performance is considered by many to be one of the most poignant and dramatic moments in football history.

Brett Favre can be found in the National Portrait Gallery's online collection.

Brett Favre by Rick Chapman/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution/Gift of Rick Chapman and ESPN/ © 2001 Rick Chapman

Comments

[Alex E.]

He belongs in your collection but he's a Stiff in the news. This 'great competitor' LET Michael Strahan sack him to get the single season record, tarnishing everyone involved and the record itself.
I hope he comes back. The Theismann footage is too grainy for the HDTV era, and there's always room for a few more Big Interceptions.
Really cool portrait though.

[Warren Perry]

The Strahan sack was a non-critical moment in a non-critical game; if anyone were really convinced Favre took a dive, it would have continued to pick up some debate. Now, really, that conversation has gone the way of Deion Sanders, meaning, exactly, into obscurity.

Favre, on the other hand, is much in demand; the caliber of his quarterbacking is high, he creates electric moments, and everyone loves him except Green Bay management.

Sadly, the large cracking noise you might hear next will be the sound of millions of hearts breaking as Brett Favre changes into a Vikings jersey. And then my neighbors will be very happy because I will spend my Sundays raking leaves.

EWPerry

[Ben]

The interesting thing about this portrait of Favre is that he's not in a Packers uniform...appropriate of things to come? If Favre becomes a Viking I'll be dazed...I grew up in Minnesota its always been clear that Favre and the Vikings don't mix.

[Bronwen]

Growing up in Wisconsin, Favreism was nothing short of a religion (my middle school math teacher named his first born after him.) But the prevailing opinion about Brett currently is that he is being a jerk and a half. My, how public opinion can turn ever so quickly.

Glad he's in the collection!