by Brett Favre: From Small Town Roots to NFL Stardom
Brett Lorenzo Favre is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most accomplished quarterbacks to ever play in the National Football League. Over a 20-year career spent primarily with the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, and Minnesota Vikings, Favre amassed countless individual records and honors while leading his teams to numerous playoff appearances and Super Bowl victories. However, for all his on-field success and fame, Favre hails from humble beginnings in a small Mississippi town and attended the University of Southern Mississippi – experiences that may have shaped him for a simpler life had his NFL career not panned out.
Favre was born in 1970 in Gulfport, Mississippi and grew up in the unincorporated community of Kiln, located just north of Bay St. Louis. Kiln had a population of just over 1,000 people at the time and was a tight-knit, rural southern town. Favre’s father Irvin worked as a school teacher and football coach, instilling in young Brett a passion for the game from an early age. However, life in Kiln was far from lavish. The Favre family lived in a modest home and Brett spent his youth hunting, fishing, playing sports, and attending Hancock North Central High School, where he would go on to star as the quarterback of the football team.
While Favre excelled on the football field in high school, major Division I programs did not heavily recruit the small town Mississippi quarterback. He remained largely under the radar until signing with the University of Southern Mississippi as a preferred walk-on in 1988. Southern Miss, known as the Golden Eagles, competed in the NCAA’s Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) at the time and their football program was far less prominent than major powers like Alabama, LSU, or Ole Miss within the state. However, Favre took advantage of his opportunity with the Golden Eagles, starting as a freshman and putting up huge numbers over his college career that saw Southern Miss transition to Division I-A during his time there.
In three seasons as Southern Miss’ starting quarterback from 1990-1992, Favre threw for over 8,000 yards and 80 touchdowns. He led the Golden Eagles to a record of 23-3-1 as their starter and helped elevate the program’s national profile. Still, Favre entered the 1991 NFL Draft as a bit of an unknown commodity, having played at the I-AA level and lacking the pedigree of top prospects from major conferences. He was selected in the second round with the 33rd overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons.
Favre spent one season as a backup in Atlanta before being traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1992 for a first round pick. In Green Bay, Favre found the perfect fit and environment to unleash his big arm and gunslinger mentality. He immediately took over as the Packers’ starting quarterback and never looked back, beginning one of the most storied careers in NFL history. Over 16 seasons with Green Bay from 1992-2007, Favre rewrote the NFL record books while establishing himself as arguably the toughest and most durable quarterback to ever play.
Some of Favre’s myriad career accomplishments with the Packers include:
– Starting in 255 consecutive games from 1992-2010, a record that still stands today
– Throwing for over 60,000 career yards, 500 career touchdown passes, and 325 consecutive games with a pass attempt, all records when he retired
– Leading the Packers to a Super Bowl XXXI victory in 1996 over the New England Patriots
– Earning 3 MVP awards (1995, 1996, 1997), 11 Pro Bowl selections, and a plethora of other individual honors in Green Bay
Favre’s gunslinger playing style, willingness to take risks, and never-say-die toughness endeared him to Packers fans and football fans across the country. He came to embody the franchise and helped bring Green Bay sustained success and national recognition during his tenure. The Packers made the playoffs 13 times with Favre at the helm.
While Favre achieved superstardom and fame in Green Bay that he could have never dreamed of growing up in small town Mississippi, he always maintained aspects of his humble roots. He was known as one of the most approachable superstars in sports, always making time for fans and never losing touch with his southern background. Favre even continued to spend his offseasons back in Kiln or at his property in Hattiesburg, Mississippi near the USM campus.
In 2008, after 16 seasons with the Packers, Favre was traded to the New York Jets in a controversial split with Green Bay. He played one season with the Jets before being acquired by the division rival Minnesota Vikings in 2009 via free agency. Favre had two of his best statistical seasons with Minnesota at ages 39-40, leading the Vikings to the NFC Championship game in 2009 in one of the greatest late-career resurgences in NFL history.
However, injuries began to take their toll and Favre retired for good following the 2010 season at age 41. In total, he amassed an incredible record of 286 career wins (including playoffs), over 71,000 passing yards, 508 touchdowns, and 321 interceptions over 20 NFL seasons with the Falcons, Packers, Jets, and Vikings. Favre’s ironman streak of 321 consecutive starts is perhaps the most impressive feat, showing not only his physical and mental toughness but also commitment to his teams. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, in his first year of eligibility.
Since retiring from the NFL, Favre has stayed relatively out of the public spotlight but still maintains a home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where he grew up. He does occasional charity work and appearances but largely keeps a low profile, enjoying time with his family which now includes his wife Deanna and their daughter Breleigh. It’s clear Favre has no desire to remain in the constant limelight that comes with being a former superstar athlete and prefers a simpler lifestyle outside of football.
While Favre achieved wealth, fame, and accolades beyond what anyone from Kiln, Mississippi could imagine, he never lost touch with his small town roots. Even at the height of his NFL stardom with the Packers, he was still the same humble, approachable country boy from southern Mississippi. And in retirement, Favre has chosen to return to that lifestyle of enjoying quiet time with family on his property rather than seeking more attention or involvement in the sports world.
It’s easy to see how Favre’s upbringing in rural Kiln shaped him, both as a football player and person. The values of hard work, toughness, and loyalty were instilled in him from a young age through his father and the tight-knit community. And while his career path led him to the biggest stages in professional sports, Favre never forgot where he came from. He served as a source of pride for all of Mississippi and an inspiration for kids from small towns everywhere that big dreams can be achieved through dedication and perseverance.
Even today, removed from his playing days, Brett Favre remains one of the most popular sports figures in the state. Young fans there still idolize his accomplishments and toughness. And Favre seems happy to have come full circle, living a quieter life now in the same area of Mississippi where it all began. While he achieved the pinnacle of success and fame in the NFL, Favre’s small town roots and appreciation for simple pleasures have ensured he does not lose touch with reality in retirement. His is truly an all-American story of a boy from humble beginnings rising to the top of his field through sheer will and never forgetting where he came from along the way.
