How did the Vikings end up signing Brett Favre? Looking back at one of the most insane coups after Hall of Famer’s double retirement

Once upon a time, Brett Favre was Mr. Green Bay. The Hall of Fame quarterback could do no wrong because he was winning games and slinging the football all over Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers' star quarterback turned heel in 2009 when he signed with their division rivals the Minnesota Vikings.

Favre previously retired in 2008. However, he changed his mind and wanted to return to the Packers. The team had already decided to move on with Favre's then backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The gunslinging quarterback wanted some measure of revenge by signing with the Minnesota Vikings, who had a head coach and offensive system similar to what Favre ran in Green Bay. The Packers, however, were not willing to trade their former star quarterback to a division rival, so they sent him to the New York Jets.

Number four would play for the Jets for one year before retiring again, and the Jets would allow him to walk away from their contract. In 2009, Favre would unretire (again) to sign with the Minnesota Vikings, and there was nothing the Packers could do to block this transaction.

That season, Favre would lead the Vikings to a 12-4 record with an appearance in the NFC title game against the New Orleans Saints, who would go on to win the Super Bowl that year. He threw for 4,202 yards with 33 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions. The seven interceptions would be the fewest picks thrown any of his seasons as a full-time starter.

As far as revenge goes, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings were able to serve it cold to his former team--albeit in a short period of time. Favre would return for the 2010 season, but the Vikings went 6-10, and he would retire again--for good this time.

Brett Favre continues to fight his legal issues

Brett Favre has been out of the limelight for quite some time after he retired from the NFL in 2010. Now the former star quarterback is in the limelight for less savory reasons. In September of 2022, a series of text messages between Favre and a former Mississippi governor revealed that Favre may have been involved with a scandal where welfare funds were embezzled.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services currently has a lawsuit against Favre, demanding repayment of the misspent welfare funds. The allegations state that Favre used these funds to finance a volleyball arena at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.