Brett Favre’s top Minnesota Vikings moments
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 11: Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the New York Jets on October 11, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.The Jets defeated the Vikings 29 to 20. (Photo by Rob (Getty )
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre announced Tuesday he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
Favre, who will turn 55 in October, played 20 seasons in the NFL. He spent two of those years with the Minnesota Vikings, after 16 memorable years with the Green Bay Packers. Favre estimates he’s suffered "thousands" of concussions during his football career.
Here is a look at some of Favre’s top moments with the Vikings.
Game-winning touchdown to Greg Lewis
With 12 seconds left in regulation and the Vikings trailing the San Francisco 49ers 24-20, Favre hit Greg Lewis for a 33-yard touchdown as he’s about to get crushed by a defensive lineman. Favre heaves it, and Lewis is able to make a leaping catch in the very back of the end zone while getting both feet down to give the Vikings a 27-24 win. It was one of many clutch throws in his career.
The day Favre signed in Minnesota
In one of the most bizarre scenes in Minnesota sports, Favre signed with the Vikings in mid-August of 2009, just after the team had wrapped up training camp in Mankato. Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf took their private jet to Mississippi to go get him, and he landed at Holman Field in St. Paul. He got a police escort to Winter Park in Eden Prairie, with Vikings’ fans lining the nearby streets and highway overpasses. Even a news helicopter tracked his every turn.
It was a surreal day in the Twin Cities. That season ended with a brutal loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC title game in overtime.
Brining Favre back in 2010
A year later, it took Vikings team captains Ryan Longwell and Steve Hutchinson to consider Favre coming back for one more year. They both flew to Mississippi, and the private jet brought Favre back to Minnesota the next day.
That season ended in disaster.
The final blow
Favre’s last NFL game was Dec. 20, 2010 at then TCF Bank Stadium. He was declared out for the regular season finale against the Chicago Bears on a snowy and bone-chilling night.
Favre was knocked to the ground on one play, hit his head on the frozen turf and was out cold. It was his last NFL play ever.