Favre reiterates legacy is with Packers

CANTON, Ohio – Brett Favre was with Steve Mariucci when his first saw his locker display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Friday.

The display includes two jerseys: his Packers No. 4, and his Minnesota Vikings No. 4. Earlier in the day he told PackersNews.com that he had nothing to do with the display, and in his Hall of Fame press conference Friday he said his legacy obviously is with the Packers. Even Mariucci, his former quarterbacks coach with the Packers, needled him about the jerseys.

“But there’s no doubt how I will be remembered, and that’s as a Packer, as it should be," Favre said. "I wouldn’t trade my 16 years in Green Bay for anything. And I said this, when you guys were in Green Bay for the (Packers) Hall of Fame (induction) and when I was on the field talking, I had a tremendous amount of respect for playing as a home team quarterback in Lambeau for so many years, but I really, I don’t know if I underappreciated how difficult it is to play on that field, with the fans cheering against you, until I walked out of the tunnel as an opponent.

“It was an incredible feeling of awe, and I’m really thankful that I played in Minnesota. We didn’t win a championship, but I’m thankful that I had a chance to witness it from the other side, if that makes sense. Because I think I would have taken for granted how special it is to play there, and when I came out as an opponent, I realized this place is pretty special.”

Favre also said that the ceremony at Lambeau last summer finished the healing from the wounds after his contentious parting from the team in 2008.

“I can’t even describe that feeling when I walked on that field,” he said. “I was certain I would not get emotional. But to see 70,000 people, it’s not a game. The last time I walked onto that field, it was a little different. There was some doubt of what would happen. That was incredible.”

Favre said he hopes his ultimate legacy league-wide is that he played the game the way fans would if they could.

“I know if I were that fan I’d want to see somebody just give their best and authentic,” he said. “The best way I can put it, if I never had the chance to play football and I was watching and I’d watch some player, I’d say, ‘If I were able to play I’d play like that.’”