Eleven quarterbacks have shuttled through Seattle's lineup since Brett Favre began his record 177-game starting streak with the Green Bay Packers.
Trent Dilfer, now a Seahawks backup, was one of them. A sprained knee and torn Achilles' tendon prevented Dilfer from starting more than six consecutive games for Seattle.
Such are the perils of quarterback play in the NFL. Everyone goes down sooner or later. Everyone but Favre.
Sunday, the Packers' indomitable ironman stands between Seattle and the first 4-0 record in Seahawks history. No one knows how Seattle's visit to Lambeau Field will go.
The only certainty, it seems, is that No. 4 will line up under center for his 178th consecutive start. That's 61 more than any quarterback in NFL history.
"It is by far, in my opinion, the greatest achievement athletically in the last 13 years," Dilfer said.
The casual observer probably wouldn't understand. Athletes in other sports might disagree. But football players know their sport is different. They hold Favre's streak in awe.
"I don't want to disrespect baseball," Dilfer said, "but I think it parallels or exceeds what Ripken did."
Cal Ripken Jr. played in a record 2,632 consecutive games for the Baltimore Orioles, a hallowed feat in baseball. But the physical demands of football are different. For instance, no one ever drove a shoulder into Ripken's ribcage as the All-Star shortstop threw to first base.
"I once got to 70-something starts, and it took everything in my total person to achieve that," Dilfer said. "Every drug, every shot, everything you could possibly imagine to do 70. It's ridiculous."
Favre's streak has dangled by a frayed ligament more than once.
Minnesota knocked him out of a 1994 game with a hip injury. The Vikings felled Favre again the following year, this time with a sprained ankle, but he returned to throw five touchdown passes against Chicago a week later.
By the middle of the 1996 season, Favre was suffering from a bruised throwing shoulder, a bruised knee, an arthritic hip, a sore back and a nasty case of turf toe. That was also the year Favre led the NFL with 39 touchdown passes.
A badly bruised thumb on his throwing hand complicated matters in 1999, but Favre kept playing despite torturing the mangled digit with every snap, to say nothing of the times he banged it on helmets while throwing.
Foot and elbow injuries tried to derail Favre in 2000, but nothing seemed as serious as the knee injury that threatened to end his 2002 season.
Favre was scrambling when Washington linebackers LaVar Arrington and Jeremiah Trotter broke through the line unblocked. The pair dragged Favre to the ground, pinning the quarterback's left leg under his body.
Favre heard a pop and feared the worst. Replays bordered on grotesque. But tests revealed "only" a sprain.
Two weeks later, following a well-placed bye, Favre led Green Bay past Miami with his knee in a brace. The streak grew, as did the legend.
At this rate, Favre will probably retire before he misses a game.
"That's unbelievable for a regular player, let alone a quarterback, a guy you know is going to get hit and take a pounding," Seahawks fullback Mack Strong said.
Favre has certainly been fortunate in avoiding serious injuries. He has also paid a high price to stay on the field. Seven years ago, an addiction to the painkiller Vicodin precipitated a six-week stay in a rehab facility.
He has started 111 consecutive games since emerging from the longest rehab session of his career.
His list of achievements includes three league MVP trophies, a Super Bowl ring, 321 touchdowns and 43,089 yards passing. But the consecutive-starts streak is what separates him from the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
"You have to give much respect to a guy who has played nearly 180 games in a row without missing a game," Seattle cornerback Ken Lucas said. "That is unbelievable for a quarterback."
http://www.cincypost.com/2003/10/04/farve10-04-2003.html
Trent Dilfer, now a Seahawks backup, was one of them. A sprained knee and torn Achilles' tendon prevented Dilfer from starting more than six consecutive games for Seattle.
Such are the perils of quarterback play in the NFL. Everyone goes down sooner or later. Everyone but Favre.
Sunday, the Packers' indomitable ironman stands between Seattle and the first 4-0 record in Seahawks history. No one knows how Seattle's visit to Lambeau Field will go.
The only certainty, it seems, is that No. 4 will line up under center for his 178th consecutive start. That's 61 more than any quarterback in NFL history.
"It is by far, in my opinion, the greatest achievement athletically in the last 13 years," Dilfer said.
The casual observer probably wouldn't understand. Athletes in other sports might disagree. But football players know their sport is different. They hold Favre's streak in awe.
"I don't want to disrespect baseball," Dilfer said, "but I think it parallels or exceeds what Ripken did."
Cal Ripken Jr. played in a record 2,632 consecutive games for the Baltimore Orioles, a hallowed feat in baseball. But the physical demands of football are different. For instance, no one ever drove a shoulder into Ripken's ribcage as the All-Star shortstop threw to first base.
"I once got to 70-something starts, and it took everything in my total person to achieve that," Dilfer said. "Every drug, every shot, everything you could possibly imagine to do 70. It's ridiculous."
Favre's streak has dangled by a frayed ligament more than once.
Minnesota knocked him out of a 1994 game with a hip injury. The Vikings felled Favre again the following year, this time with a sprained ankle, but he returned to throw five touchdown passes against Chicago a week later.
By the middle of the 1996 season, Favre was suffering from a bruised throwing shoulder, a bruised knee, an arthritic hip, a sore back and a nasty case of turf toe. That was also the year Favre led the NFL with 39 touchdown passes.
A badly bruised thumb on his throwing hand complicated matters in 1999, but Favre kept playing despite torturing the mangled digit with every snap, to say nothing of the times he banged it on helmets while throwing.
Foot and elbow injuries tried to derail Favre in 2000, but nothing seemed as serious as the knee injury that threatened to end his 2002 season.
Favre was scrambling when Washington linebackers LaVar Arrington and Jeremiah Trotter broke through the line unblocked. The pair dragged Favre to the ground, pinning the quarterback's left leg under his body.
Favre heard a pop and feared the worst. Replays bordered on grotesque. But tests revealed "only" a sprain.
Two weeks later, following a well-placed bye, Favre led Green Bay past Miami with his knee in a brace. The streak grew, as did the legend.
At this rate, Favre will probably retire before he misses a game.
"That's unbelievable for a regular player, let alone a quarterback, a guy you know is going to get hit and take a pounding," Seahawks fullback Mack Strong said.
Favre has certainly been fortunate in avoiding serious injuries. He has also paid a high price to stay on the field. Seven years ago, an addiction to the painkiller Vicodin precipitated a six-week stay in a rehab facility.
He has started 111 consecutive games since emerging from the longest rehab session of his career.
His list of achievements includes three league MVP trophies, a Super Bowl ring, 321 touchdowns and 43,089 yards passing. But the consecutive-starts streak is what separates him from the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
"You have to give much respect to a guy who has played nearly 180 games in a row without missing a game," Seattle cornerback Ken Lucas said. "That is unbelievable for a quarterback."
http://www.cincypost.com/2003/10/04/farve10-04-2003.html
