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To many children of the ’90s, Brett Favre was the most fun quarterback to watch in the NFL growing up. The Green Bay Packers legend played with a joy and flair that other guys at his position back then just didn’t have, as the Ol’ Gunslinger earned his nickname for always extending plays and taking big shots down field — even if they were risky AF. It’s part of the reason why Favre earned himself three-straight league MVP trophies and, eventually, a Hall of Fame induction.
It’s that combination of personality and talent that led Brett Favre to say that he sees a lot of himself in reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, who has led his Kansas City Chiefs to Super Bowl 54 by being the most unstoppable football player on the planet over the past month or so. When talking about the similarities between himself and Mahomes, Favre didn’t back down from the praise, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio that the 24-year-old sure does remind him of himself.
“I see the comparison,” Favre says of the Kansas City star. “He may not admit this but he probably feels there is no throw he can’t make or no angle he can’t make it from. Whether he’s flushed left or to the right, his vision always is down the field. I was always looking for the big play first and knew I could always react underneath if I needed, too.
“You have to have a certain confidence or air about you that you can make any throw, and it has been proven he can make any throw. I always felt like, yeah.”
…
“The one big difference with me and present day quarterbacks, when I came into the league I was very unprepared from a passing standpoint. I could throw it a mile, make any throw, but in college we ran an option offense and when we threw it was off a sprint out. I didn’t know anything about protections in general, throwing hot. Never had to worry about anything in college, played free-spirit football, and if there’s a busted play, make something happen with my arm.
Are there similarities between Favre and Mahomes? Of course there are. As someone who grew up watching the Packers legend, it’s easy to compare some of their improvisational ways on the football field, as well as the joy each play(ed) with.
Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with that assessment.
While there’s no doubting how great Brett Favre was during his NFL days, some people on social media thought his hot take was a major upgrade to himself and pat on his own back. It’s what led some to respond on Twitter with their how opinions, describing how they weren’t really feeling it.
He wish
— Lex (@LexLuther05) January 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/gkmael/status/1220368471512375296?s=20
https://twitter.com/levinkuo/status/1219043317427712005?s=20
Take: Patrick Mahomes is what your dad thinks Brett Favre was.
— Pearl Campbell (@wsky_tango_fxt) January 20, 2020
@ArrowheadPride Listening to your podcast trying to make comparison to @PatrickMahomes.
He's the brain of Peyton Manning w the ability of Brett Favre.
Only better. Than both. At everything.— Ian Freeman (@ThePhilosophian) January 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/larrybriggs8/status/1220384697089286144?s=20
For those who might’ve already forgotten, Brett Favre finished his career with a number of major NFL passing records on his resume — including most yards and most touchdowns — and is currently in the Hall of Fame, so it’s hard to knock the guy for saying he sees a little bit of himself in Patrick Mahomes. And while we all live in the moment thanks to social media and nonstop highlights, which the Chiefs quarterback certainly provides on the regular, it’s hard to argue with Favre’s assessment here. But, you know, trolls gonna troll.