Favre's first public talk of retiring was in '97

Jan. 26, 2010

In a little less than two weeks, Super Bowl XLIV between the NFC Champion New Orleans Saints and the AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts will kick off in Miami. May the best team win. And if the New Orleans Saints aren’t the best team that particular day, may the second-best team win.

But there’s another football story here in the dead of winter, a story not nearly as fresh as the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts battling in the Super Bowl. That story, of course, would be the story of Brett Favre agonizing over retirement. This is nothing new for the 40-year-old Favre; he first began discussing retirement publicly in January of 1997. To put that in perspective, Favre was publicly discussing retirement a full year before the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal broke.

With that chronological comparison established, , The Punditty Project thought it would be interesting to take an at-a-glance look at retirement themes that made headlines throughout Brett Favre’s NFL career.

Rather than spell it all out, there is a certain power in letting the headlines do the talking. The first link, from a 1991 USA Today report, is from two days before he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. No retirement talk there, but it’s still a nice piece for the Favre time capsule.

“Favre carves out spot in uncertain quarterback year.” USA Today, April 18, 1991

“Packing it in? QB Favre mulls early retirement,” Newsday, Jan. 3, 1997

Stardom came slowly for Packers’ leader, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 9, 1998

Pasture is beckoning to Favre on the gridiron, New York Times, Oct. 15, 2002

Packers’ Favre hints at retirement, Reading Eagle, Dec. 27, 2002

Frustrated Favre mum on retirement talk, USA Today, Jan. 5, 2003

Favre stokes retirement talk again, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 31, 2003

Favre may be talking about retirement, but his skills haven’t diminished Sporting News, Sept. 8, 2003

Retirement on Brett’s mind again, New York Post, Jan. 10, 2005

Should Brett Favre retire? USA Today, Dec. 28, 2005

Pro Football Notebook: Favre considers retirement, Jan. 31, 2006

Decision looming for Favre; QB to consider retirement, ankle surgery, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 7, 2006

Favre and Taylor ready to quit, The Daily Mail, Jan. 2, 2007

Brett Favre retires, Chicago Tribune, March 5, 2008

Veracity of Favre’s ‘retirement’ being questioned, Japan Times, March 7, 2008

Brett Favre’s retirement: Catholic leaders reflect on his life’s witness, www.catholic.org, March 13, 2008

Favre: ‘I’m here to help the Jets win’ espn.com, Aug. 8, 2008

Favre tells New York Jets he is retiring, espn.com Feb. 11, 2009

Brett Favre retirement timeline since 2006, USA Today, Aug.18, 2009

Favre signs with Vikings, Aug. 19, 2009 espn.com

Will Favre retire? Not even Brett can answer that, Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 25, 2010

Favre and his lengthy dance with retirement, as told through headlines: 1997-2010, The Punditty Project