Brett Favre said the strangest aspect about playing his first game in a Vikings uniform on Friday is that he felt nervous before the game.
Favre finished 1 of 4 passing for 4 yards in two series in a 17-13 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Afterward, he talked about his first game, the reception he received and what the past five days have been like for him personally.
Here is some of what he said:
Q: What was it like coming down the tunnel before the game?
Favre: It felt a little odd after so many years being on the other side. I thought it was a welcome reception. I know in the long run we’ll be judged on wins and losses. This was a tough place to play. It’s nice to be on the other side. It was a little loud when we were on offense too. [smiling] I think this place is just loud period.
Q: How nervous were you?
Favre: Today I came over to meetings at the hotel, sitting in the room, all of sudden I started having butterflies. I’m like, I haven’t felt this in a long time, which was probably the oddest thing today. I was talking to my oldest daughter and she told me good luck. I said, ‘I’m nervous.’ She said you’ll be fine. I said, ‘I just don’t want to screw up.’ I didn’t expect much today. Practiced two-and-a-half days. I just didn’t want to fumble a snap. I wanted to make sure I got the handoffs and if I complete a pass, great. But I was nervous.
Q: Why so nervous?
Favre: Good question. Maybe two-and-a-half days of practice. Live bullets, no red jersey. Of course all the attention that’s been focused on this. The guys have been great. I talked to numerous guys on the sideline today as well as during the week. To a man, they’ve all said, ‘Hey, we just want you to come in and be you. Be the leader you’ve always been. Don’t feel like you have to do everything.’ I’m trying to kind of purge myself of that. With all the attention, it’s hard not to feel like you have to live up to all this hype. Not that I don’t want to do that. But the most important thing is to lead this team to victory.
Q: What has last five days been like for you personally?
Favre: Each day it’s gotten a little bit smoother. It’s really about football. After the first day of practice, the next day I walk in and guys are yawning and going to meetings and practice. It’s business as usual. Once that started happening, it was much better. And getting this game over with tonight is a good thing as well. Preseason is tough anyway. But this week has obviously been a little hectic. We have a long week next week and I consider that a good thing. It’s something I need.
Q: We’re there certain throws that you wanted to do to test your arm?
Favre: Not really. … I’m probably more concerned right now with just getting my legs into shape. They were a little bit sore the last two days. Just from dropping back and doing things you can’t get until you start practicing. My arm is not in game shape. It’s just hard to simulate. I’ve been throwing but not dropping back and rolling out and doing things like that. I feel real good about where my arm is right now. It’s just more — not that I wanted to get hit — but there’s only one way to get the body physically in condition and that is to get out and fall and get banged around, get elbowed, helmet in the chest. But I’ve always felt like I can handle that side of it. Not that I want to be sore tomorrow. But I think all that stuff is good.
Q: How much extra time have you spent studying the offense?
Favre: A little bit. I feel pretty confident. My concern is more … like the last play I was in. They blitzed. This was a play we hadn’t practiced on. It’s actually a play you don’t practice regardless of where you are because you don’t see zero blitz very much. That was an empty blitz, which was a little surprising. But it was a double post, which is a pretty good call against that. I thought Percy [Harvin] would go inside the safety. He actually kind of stuck the guy and went around the top, which is what he had been coached to do. I didn’t know that. So that’s where I need to catch up.
Originally Posted by packerbacker1234
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