NFL: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre’s consecutive start record ends at 297
Brett Favre was unable to begin his 298th straight game on Monday night against the New York Giants. Even though he did get more than a full day of extra rest, Favre’s strained sternoclavicular joint just wasn’t feeling
well enough to play.
After 297 straight regular-season starts, spanning 19 seasons, Favre’s SC joint injury was one that he just couldn’t handle. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback has battled through personal grief, aches, pains and broken bones for
over twenty years, but couldn’t win the war.
Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson announced Favre’s status on Twitter, saying, "Vikings Inactives -- 12, 19, 25, 31, 76, 90, 91...and 4. The streak ends..."
The game against the Giants had been delayed for more than a day because of severe snow storms, due to which the Giants’ flight was diverted and the roof of the Metrodome collapsed. The game eventually had to be moved to Ford Field
in Detroit, Michigan, where the Vikes fell to the Giants 21-3.
Favre, who played this season with elbow tendonitis and a broken foot, wasn’t sure that he could play against the Giants, even though the rest of the team was hopeful that he would come through once again.
But not all stories end well.
Vikings interim head coach Leslie Frazier said that the plan had been for Favre to see if he could play during a pre-game warm up. However, the three-time MVP was announced as inactive about an hour and a half before kickoff.
"It wasn't a hard decision," Frazier told reporters. "He had numbness in his hand so it wasn't a hard decision."
Around halftime, cameras showed that Favre’s right hand was swollen and purple.
Ryan Longwell, kicker for the Vikes, said that he spoke to Favre after his decision to not play, and reported that Favre was "at peace with it, and seemed relieved it was over."
Shortly after Favre was declared inactive, his official website featured autographed commemorative footballs, inscribed with “297 starts 1992-2010” and priced at $499 each.
No one knows if Favre will return from retirement again to make a third comeback season. Many believe it is likely that he will be placed on injured reserve, in order to end speculation about whether or not he will play every week.
Zygi Wilf, owner of the Vikings, had said that he has not had any discussions about Favre being placed in injured reserve or about any other outcomes of the situation. He says that the decision rests with the quarterback and the coaching staff.
Favre broke Ron Jaworski’s consecutive starts record way back in 1999.
"I knew when my streak ended, it was because of a broken leg," Jaworski said. "I knew it was over. It was just kind of interesting following Brett this week. Now that we know it's over, we can kind of look back on it and marvel.
I don't know if I can even put words on it."
Those who managed to get the free tickets offered in Detroit for the game were able to witness history in the making.
"Ahhh, I feel bad for him," said Vikings season-ticket holder JoAnn Brown, who drove 12 hours to see the game. "I wish he could've just got out there for the first play and just tossed the ball once to keep the streak."
Many prominent sporting figures had good things to say about Favre, including Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz, baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. All of them used one word in common:
“incredible”.
Favre’s 20th season has arguably been the toughest that he has gone through. But Monday marked the end of an historic era for the NFL, and for one of the greatest quarterbacks American football has ever seen.
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