It was the summer of 2009. The Minnesota Vikings were coming off a 2008 season where Adrian Peterson had firmly established himself as the best back in the NFL. Finishing with over 1,700 yards rushing, he single-handedly carried the Vikings to a playoff berth that would end in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. It was clear throughout the season the problem was the quarterback play from Tarvaris Jackson, who failed to live up to his 2nd round selection made in 2006. To get over the hump, a change needed to be made.
The market for quarterbacks was thin, but one name jumped out amongst the rest, Brett Favre. The 39-year-old was a free agent after a less than stellar season with the New York Jets that both parties would like to forget. Favre needed a fresh start to close out his illustrious career and go out on top. The Vikings needed a veteran leader to mold the team into a contender. It was a match made in Heaven.
Head Coach Brad Childress got the job done on August 18, 2009 as Favre signed a 2-year contract with the team he had gone to battle with for over decade and a half. Some saw it as revenge for being pushed out of Green Bay for young Aaron Rodgers. Favre denied the claims.
“Sixteen years in Green Bay were great years, and that was home to me,” Favre said. “And some great games against this organization, some we won, some we lost…This is not about revenge, believe me. You can’t take away the 16 years in Green Bay, and that will forever be cherished.”
When the season rolled around shortly after, fans of the purple knew that they were in for a season to remember. Week 3 was the first chapter in that unforgettable season.
The Vikings had jumped out to a 2-0 record after handling the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions on the road. The first home game of the season brought the San Francisco 49ers to the Metrodome in a game that will live in infamy for all Vikings fans watching that day.
In a game that saw Favre struggle to find his rhythm, the Vikings were down four points in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. As time ticked off the clock Favre heaved a bomb towards the end zone. Greg Lewis leaped and hauled in the bullet while managing to keep both feet in bounds in the back corner of the end zone. The Metrodome went nuts.
Favre would follow up his game-saving performance with a victory at home over the team he had guided for the majority of his career, the Packers. He threw for three touchdowns and the Metrodome crowd couldn’t get enough of watching him carve up his former team like a Thanksgiving turkey. Who could have guessed how much sweeter it would get just four weeks later.
After notching victories over the St. Louis Rams and Baltimore Ravens in the next two weeks, the previously undefeated Vikings would be dealt their first loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now sitting at 6-1, the Vikings were headed to Lambeau Field in a game that fans of both teams had circled in their calendars from the time Favre had signed in August.
When the day finally arrived, the Packer faithful bombarded Favre with a chorus of boos that could be heard all the way to Milwaukee. Favre and the Vikings fans, though, would have the last laugh in what would be one of the most satisfying victories in the history of Minnesota sports. Finishing with four touchdown passes, Favre got his revenge whether he was seeking it or not as the Vikings went on to win the game.
“Packer fans cheer for the Packers first,” Favre said. “I know that. But I hope that everyone in the stadium watching tonight said, ‘I sure hate those jokers on the other side, but he does play the way he’s always played.’ “
Following week 8, the Vikings were on bye until heading back home to face the Lions. The Vikings would go on to win their next three contests but stumbled through the remainder of the season with a record of 2-3 in the final five games. Still, the Vikings finished with a very respectable 12-4 record and earned a second-seed in the postseason, earning a bye to the Divisional Round.
Their opponent in the Dallas Cowboys would not provide much of a challenge for the now 40-year-old quarterback, as Favre again defied the odds and delivered a 4 touchdown pass game to lead the Vikings to a 34-3 rout.
All that stood now between Favre reaching the Super Bowl one last time were the red-hot New Orleans Saints led by their own star quarterback in Drew Brees. The Vikings would have to beat the Saints at the Superdome.
Unfortunately, the magic that brought them this far in their journey would come to an end. In a tightly contested game throughout, it came down to Favre to lead the team down the field and score during the closing moments of the game to secure the win. In a rare lapse of judgement, Favre threw across his body and was intercepted by Tracy Porter to force overtime. The Saints would go on to win the coin-toss and win the game on the foot of Garrett Hartley.
“We really gave those guys the game,” said Peterson. “Too many turnovers. It’s eating me up inside.”
The season was over, but lives on in the memories of fans across Minnesota. Although we dream that the outcome could have been different, we are forever thankful for the man that brought us to that point, Mr. Favre. When people ask how I remember Brett Favre, I tell them about that one last hurrah in Minnesota.
