Brett Favre Streak Ends

It ends at 297.

From the New York Times:

Brett Favre, the eternally young quarterback whose age finally caught up to him this season, will not start Monday night in the Minnesota Vikings’ game against the Giants, snapping one of the most remarkable streaks in sports.

Favre, who began the streak with the Green Bay Packers, had started 297 consecutive regular-season games, a staggering run of able-bodiedness that began in 1992, when Favre was 23. The streak was made all the more stunning because of Favre’s freewheeling style of play that included considerable scrambling. But at 41, Favre has battled a string of injuries this season, including fractures in his left ankle, a bruised chest and a split chin.

Finally, it was a sprained right shoulder joint, sustained last Sunday in a game against the Buffalo Bills, that sent the gray-haired Favre to the bench.

The Vikings put him on the inactive list before Monday’s game, meaning that he will not suit up.

Here's an account from the Star Tribune:

Brett Favre finally has an injury that he can't play through.

The quarterback's starting streak of 297 consecutive regular-season games and 321 games overall, including playoffs, will come to an end tonight because of a sprained sternocavicular joint in his throwing (right) shoulder that he suffered on Dec. 5 against Buffalo when he was hit on the third play by Arthur Moats as he attempted to throw a pass.

Favre is inactive for this game against the New York Giants, meaning he is not the third quarterback and can not go into the game. Tarvaris Jackson will get his first start since 2008. Jackson played almost the entire game against Buffalo in the Vikings' 38-14 victory.

Favre, 41, who holds every significant NFL career passing record and is the league's all-time leader in touchdown passes, completions, attempts, yards and victories as a starting quarterback, has said this will be his 20th and final season.

His streak began in 1992 with the Green Bay Packers. Favre began that season as the backup to Don Majkowski but began his starting streak on Sept. 27, 1992 in a victory over Pittsburgh after Majkowski was injured. Favre played in the Packers games on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20 before starting against the Steelers.

The last time Favre did not play in a game at all was Sept. 6, 1992, when the Packers lost to the Vikings in the regular-season opener at Lambeau Field.

Favre never came out onto the field to throw in the pregame warmups, meaning he and coach Leslie Frazier likely knew well before the Vikings arrived in Detroit for this "home" game that playing through this injury wouldn't be realistic. Frazier said last week that Favre's issue wasn't reaching back to throw but rather following through on a pass.

Favre did not throw in practice on Wednesday or Thursday of last week and only softly tossed the ball on Friday. He appeared to catch a break when the Vikings-Giants game was moved from a noon start on Sunday to a night game on Monday because of issues with the Metrodome. (The roof collapsed the morning after the game originally was simply shifted to Monday.) However, clearly Favre did not have enough time for the shoulder to heal.

Favre has played through countless injuries since that time, including 16 that were listed in the Packers media guide before he left that team after the 2007 season. This season Favre was able to play despite a stress fracture in his left ankle and a fracture in the same heel that he suffered Oct. 24 at Green Bay.

Favre and coach Leslie Frazier said last week that they would not have Favre handoff to start a game.

I give the Vikings credit for not pulling a stunt like having Favre handoff to start the game just to keep the streak alive. Favre, too, probably wouldn't have wanted that.

It's too bad Favre is going out like this, but it was his choice to keep coming out of retirement. I wish he could have ended his career as a Packer. I wish there hadn't been all the bad blood and that both Favre and the Packers could have managed things better, but they didn't.

Favre wanted to stick it to Ted Thompson and he did. We packer fans were the collateral damage. (Being part of the collateral damage hurts as much as being the target.)

So, Favre did it his way, and at the end, that pretty much sucked.

Now that the streak is over, get your Brett Favre streak merchandise here, from Favre's official website. (Yes, already!)

Brett Favre Signed and inscribed 297 Starts Football

One of the most historic streaks ever in all of sports has come to an end. The NFL's own Ironman Brett Favre has ended his consecutive starting game streak at 297. Chances are if your under 40 you don't remember a time in the NFL with out Brett Favre playing on Sunday. This is a monumental feat especially at the quarterback position. Just consider since 1992 the Chicago Bears have watched over 20 QB's start for their team; and the average career length in the NFL is less than four years.

We are now offering Official NFL football signed by Brett with inscription: 297 starts 1992-2010

This is a Pre-Sale! Footballs will be available in about 30 days.

This is an Official NFL Brett Favre signed football with inscription. It comes with a certificate of authenticity and a picture of Brett from the signing and holograms.



$499.99

For the love of the game?

For the love of money.

Oh, well. It's a business.