It's become a familiar scene in the past few NFL seasons. The team is down, but the announcers always say the same thing: "If there's any quarterback in the league who can make up this deficit, it's this guy."
But in truth, the comebacks haven't come as readily to Brett Favre as everyone expected them to. For fans of a phenomenal competitor, it's been hard to watch. For fans of the Green Bay Packers, it's been even harder.
As the NFL prepares to embrace a new crop of quarterbacks - including the likes of Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Jay Cutler - at the upcoming 2006 Draft, the league is also bracing for the retirement decision of its most respected and most decorated veteran signal-caller.
On Saturday, Favre called a press conference, at which many in the media expected him to announce the end of his days under center. Instead, he expressed uncertainty about his future, and said he needed more time to decide. Coming off a 4-12 season, all signs seemed to point to Favre's retirement. Now, months into the offseason, it's less conclusive.
While there is no doubt that Favre can't dominate a game the way he did 10 years ago, the Packers have offered him little help, both on and off the field. His skills and his supporting cast have diminished. Last year, the Packers were wracked by injuries, especially on offense, as evident by the five different running backs employed at various times behind Favre. Ironically, it was the rest of the team, not the quarterback in his mid-30s, with injury problems. Playing with a group of backups, he struggled, throwing 29 interceptions and only 20 touchdowns.
Off the gridiron, the Packers fired coach Mike Sherman against Favre's wishes. And although they possess money to spare, the Packers made no move for any significant free agent signings. Favre even suggested they look into getting troubled but talented receiver Terrell Owens. Above all, Favre wants a dedication to winning from his organization, but while they are not pushing him out the door, the Packers' lack of effort seems to indicate that they are looking towards a new generation, one without number four.
Whatever his eventual decision, Favre's NFL immortality has been cemented. He is second of all-time in passing touchdowns, yards and completions. He holds NFL records for most seasons in throwing, with 30 or more touchdown passes and 3,000 yards passing. He is the only player to have won the NFL MVP three times, and - probably most notably - he holds the record for most consecutive starts by a quarterback, at 221. He led the Packers to two Super Bowls and one championship title. In addition, he gave a brilliant performance in "There's Something About Mary."
Aside from his statistics, Favre has approached mythic status for the personal issues he has dealt with and defeated. In his earlier years, he reformed his partying ways and dealt with an addiction to painkillers. Recently, he has had to cope with the death of his father and brother-in-law, as well as his wife's battle with breast cancer.
With all these problems attempting to tackle him off the field, Favre has showed his loyalty and dedication by suiting up for every game. Weighed down by tragedy and strife, no one would blame him if he chose to spend his time with his family in Mississippi.
But he's a football player, and as we have learned from athletes in the past, giving up the game is harder than it seems. Immediately, the examples of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Roger Clemens come to mind.
Fan opinion on aging sports stars is an intriguing topic. A majority of us favor a timely retirement so that we don't have to see our heroes struggle with what used to come easily. We want our idols to ride off into the sunset and spare us their inevitable decline. Most of all, we want to remember these athletes at their peaks, at the moments of their highest glories. It's hard to be nostalgic when your old favorite is hobbling around the field as a constant reminder that those days are gone.
On the other hand, anyone who's ever competed, ever dreamed of success, or even followed a routine for so many years will understand how hard it must be to walk away from a game, from your life. We would certainly empathize with Favre if he lingered around playing football a little bit more, either.
I understand that maybe Favre wants another chance to lead one final comeback, but between his worsening performance and the overall state of his Packers, conditions for a successful season are far from optimal. For Favre, the end of a storied career is inevitably approaching, and it should be now.
