by Brett Favre and Number 4: An Unexpected Iconic Duo
While Brett Favre is synonymous with the number 4 jersey thanks to his legendary career, the story of how he came to wear that number is rather unexpected. Favre didn’t meticulously choose number 4 or have any special meaning attached to it initially. Rather, through a series of coincidences and his incredible on-field achievements over nearly two decades in the NFL, number 4 became inextricably linked to Favre’s playing style, durability, and legacy. It’s a tale of an accidental assignment that blossomed into one of the most iconic jersey-player combinations in professional sports history.
The Accidental Assignment
Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 33rd overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft. As a rookie, players are often assigned their jersey numbers rather than choosing them. For Favre, the Falcons equipment staff simply gave him number 4 without any particular significance. He wore that number during his rookie season spent mostly on the bench as a backup to veteran quarterback Chris Miller. Favre didn’t choose number 4 or feel any connection to it at that early stage of his career. It was merely the jersey he was handed as a newcomer to the NFL.
Southern Miss Stardom
While number 4 may have been an accidental assignment by the Falcons, it had already taken on deeper meaning for Favre during his college career at the University of Southern Mississippi. There, from 1987-1990, he donned the number 4 jersey and lit up scoreboards across the country. Favre set numerous school records, was twice named All-American, and led the Golden Eagles to a 37-6 record during his four years as starter, including a win in the 1989 Independence Bowl. His on-field heroics with number 4 at Southern Miss sparked a rejuvenation of the football program and renewed local and regional interest. While Favre didn’t necessarily choose the number himself in college either, his achievements with it during his time as a Golden Eagle likely planted the seed for number 4’s future significance.
Green Bay Breakout
After a less-than-stellar stint with the Falcons, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1992 for a first-round draft pick. In Green Bay, number 4 took on an entirely new meaning. As the Packers starting quarterback, Favre immediately broke out. He tossed a league-leading and franchise record 38 touchdown passes in his first season as a starter. Number 4 was now synonymous with Favre’s gunslinger playing style and burgeoning star power.
Over the next 15 seasons in Green Bay, Favre only cemented number 4 as iconic through both individual accolades and team success. He was named MVP in 1995, 1996, and 1997, leading the Packers to a Super Bowl XXXI victory after the 1996 season. Favre set virtually every significant career passing record, including completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns. He also became known for his daring plays, willingness to take big risks, and ability to will his team to victory through sheer force of will – all attributes Packers fans came to associate with number 4.
The number 4 jersey also came to represent Favre’s emotional connection to Green Bay and Wisconsin. After tough losses, he was often seen on the Lambeau Field tunnel wall, number 4 visible through tears, processing the defeat. His legendary Lambeau Leap touchdown celebrations, number 4 in full view of adoring fans, endeared him to the Cheesehead faithful like no player before. Through nearly two decades of excellence, number 4 had evolved from an arbitrary jersey assignment into the symbol of Favre’s legacy as arguably the greatest Packers quarterback ever.
The Ironman Durability of Number 4
Another attribute that helped cement number 4’s iconic status was Favre’s unmatched durability and streak of consecutive starts. Between 1992-2010 as a Packer, Jet, and Viking, Favre started in a record 321 consecutive games. His “tough as nails” mentality and refusal to miss time due to injury reinforced the perception of number 4 as representing grit, toughness, and dedication.
Fans associated that jersey with Favre’s “play through anything” attitude exemplified by famous moments like his performance against the Oakland Raiders in 2003 after having his ankle shattered the previous week. With number 4 clearly visible through a bulky brace, Favre willed the Packers to victory despite being unable to plant or move effectively, further elevating the jersey’s symbolism. Even as he aged, number 4 took the field game after game, season after season, creating a mystique around its ironman wearer.
Post-Green Bay Encore Acts
When Favre left Green Bay in 2008, number 4’s legacy had been firmly cemented thanks to over a decade and a half of excellence. But Favre wasn’t done adding to it yet. After a season with the New York Jets, he signed with the division-rival Minnesota Vikings in 2009 looking to prove he still had more to offer.
In Minnesota, Favre enjoyed one of the best statistical seasons of his career at age 40, leading the Vikings to the NFC Championship game. Seeing number 4 back in the NFC North and performing at a high level, despite his advanced age, only added luster to its iconic status. He even beat the Packers in Lambeau Field while wearing number 4 as a Viking, further cementing its legacy intertwined with his greatness.
After retiring following the 2010 season, Favre’s legacy as the ultimate gunslinger and ironman, personified forever by number 4, was complete. No other player had done more while wearing a single jersey number to transform it into a worldwide symbol of excellence, longevity, emotion, and winning at the highest level of professional football.
The Legacy of Number 4 Lives On
In appreciation of all Favre accomplished with number 4, the Packers retired it upon his induction into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2015. The number was also inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame on its own, such was its significance to the franchise and its fan base. To this day, number 4 banners fly high at Lambeau Field alongside images featuring Favre and the jersey that came to define him.
While starting out as an accidental assignment, through a series of fortunate events and Favre’s unmatched brilliance, number 4 became irrevocably intertwined with his legacy. It symbolizes so much of who Favre was as a player – his gunslinger play style, emotional investment in Green Bay, record-setting production, unmatched durability, and ability to deliver in big moments. All of this combined to transform an arbitrary jersey number into perhaps the most iconic player-jersey combination in NFL history. Though Favre has long since retired, the legacy of number 4 as a representation of his greatness will live on forever in Green Bay and amongst football fans worldwide.
