It’s been a hell of a ride hasn’t it? After 17 long seasons, Brett Favre has decided to hang up the cleats and retire. The icon of Green Bay sports has forever established his legacy as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, quarterback of all-time over his nearly two decade career with the Packers, doing everything from title runs to MVP’s and unforgettable comebacks. Like him or not, Brett Favre was the best quarterback of our generation.

253 straight starts (273 if you count the postseason). 442 touchdowns. 61,655 career passing yards. Brett Favre epitomized dominance throughout his entire career. His flare for the dramatic couldn’t be rivaled. Give me the choice now and I’ll still take Favre with less than two minutes left in the game over any quarterback ever to play the game. Montana was great at playing Captain Comeback. Favre was better.

You want to talk about grit? You better include Favre’s bulldog mentality in the discussion. Brett didn’t miss games despite injuries. Broken fingers, broken ribs, death within his family, and even cancer affecting his wife couldn’t keep Brett from missing a game. The guy was tough as nails; the epitome of a football player. His ability to ad-lib a play and make something incredible happen was, at times, unbelievable. Even at the age of 38, Favre was playing the game like he was 18; full of energy and giving it everything he had on every single play.

I’ll never forget the stories of Brett breaking the fingers of his receivers with the velocity that he put on his passes. I’ll never forget the way he was able to stake Lambeau as his own, and any opponent who dared come into Lambeau, especially during the winter months, faced a demon of a quarterback in Favre and a hell of a battle with the Packers.

Finally when he says retirement, he means it. It’s Aaron Rodgers turn! Remember him? That Cal quarterback that the Packers used their first round pick on four years ago in anticipation of Favre’s retirement? For Rodgers, the time is now. For Favre, it’s back to the bayou to make more Wrangler jean commercials and play quarterback for pick-up football games. Thanks for a hell of a career Brett. Though I’ve spent many a time cursing you for not retiring or for beating my team, it’s truly been a pleasure watching you systematically dominate the NFL for as long as you have.