The Green Bay Packers are in a new era of football with Jordan Love taking over under center. Prior to 2023, either Brett Favre (Hall of Famer) or Aaron Rodgers (future Hall of Famer) were the starting quarterbacks in Green Bay (aside from when Rodgers was injured). Indeed, Packers fans have been fortunate to have general managers and front office personnel who were savvy enough to land two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in a row.
Related: Green Bay Packers Legend Gilbert Brown Has 1 Bold Prediction for Jordan Love
Now, today many people may argue that Rodgers ended up being the better of the two. He won more NFL MVP Awards (four to three) and threw more touchdowns (475-442 in a Packers uniform) and FAR less interceptions (105-286). However, Favre made it to more Super Bowls (two to one) and is generally regarded as one of the toughest quarterbacks to ever play the game. In his recent segment on The Earl Ingram Show, Gilbert Brown revealed one other thing that Favre did better than Rodgers.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3wROEHhPQVlo4gMDMBcg1K
Green Bay Packers Legend Gilbert Brown Identifies 1 Thing Brett Favre Would Do that Aaron Rodgers Wouldn’t
1996 4 Favre Philly
Earl Ingram asked Gilbert who the toughest quarterbacks were that he faced during his career. He stipulated, though, that he could not say Brett Favre. This is what Gilbert had to say:
“He is the toughest [quarterback to ever play the game]. Man, I tell everybody that if I was ever walking down a dark alley, what with a couple of dudes with pipes and knives, and I can only take one dude with me, I’m taking Brett Favre because I know we going to come out on the other side.
“He was the toughest country boy I’ve ever seen in my life. Sometimes, you know, Mike Holmgren could put the fear of God in you. And when you tells you, ‘I want you all to look nice, I want you all in a suit, look presentable. Represent your squad.’ And Brett Favre still showed up with a country shirt on and a country hat. And Brett walked right passed him and he didn’t say nothing.
“I mean, he dishes out, too. He used to do some blocking when he got out there. And he would throw that ball, man. I’ve seen broken fingers! And I always say, there is a different style of play between Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre. Brett Favre going to get that first down. He going to go past that line. Other dudes run to the line, stop, and throw the ball.
“You see what I’m saying? That’s the difference that people don’t understand.”
Indeed, Favre was known for his tough style of play, going over the line himself and diving head first for first downs. Rodgers did some of that, too, when he was younger, but generally extended plays behind the line of scrimmage as he waited for wide receivers to get open.
As for the toughest quarterbacks Gilbert ever faced, he named Troy Aikman, Randall Cunningham, and Steve McNair. In other words, big quarterbacks who were known for their legs, but had a different running style than today’s running quarterbacks. Today’s mobile quarterbacks model their games after Michael Vick, who Gilbert said was Barry Sanders with an arm. Their agility and speed make them dangerous.
The quarterbacks Gilbert mentioned were big quarterbacks who would search for contact and bowl over defenders.
For more great stories from Gilbert Brown and how the game of football helps teach life lessons, listen to the full segment linked above.
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1 Comment
Yea, he was as tough as they come.
He was also as big a knucklehead as
they come also. After Holmgren left,
he became an interception waiting to
happen. Especially with the game on
the line.