Super Bowl 52 – How Brett Favre and The Green Bay Packers Helped Philadelphia Win Their First Lombardi Trophy

"Brett Favre" (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by elviskennedy

 Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers are Super Bowl 52 Champions! Okay, maybe not...

No, this isn’t a post about how a healthy Aaron Rodgers changes the NFC playoff picture. It also isn't a post comparing Favre and Rodgers' situation to Wentz's and Foles'. This post describes how Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers organization crafted the Cinderella story that was 2017-2018 Philadelphia Eagles.

"Vikings Ship at U.S. Bank Stadium - NFL" (CC BY-NC 2.0) by Tony Webster

 The connections between the Super Bowl Champion Eagles and the Packer teams of old are not hard to find. While the dark green jerseys may be the easiest similarity to spot, here are five ways Brett Favre's Packers helped create the new-look birds.

1)      Head Coach Doug Pederson was Brett Favre’s Backup in Green Bay

"Doug Pederson Taking The Snap" (CC BY 2.0) by compujeramey

Pederson and Favre had (and still have) a great relationship. In addition to working together on the practice field, and game-planning on the sidelines, the two QBs would hunt, golf, and spend time together during the off season. The argument can be made that Pederson's first coaching gig came as Favre's teammate. Favre stated in  an interview with the NFL Network that while playing together, Pederson wore a headset on the sidelines which communicated directly to Favre's helmet. Pederson would discuss game situations, play calls, and defensive formations during the game. He would also occasionally draw up the first 15 plays of the game for Favre and the Packer offense. It is safe to say that Pederson's role with the Packers helped mold him into the first Super Bowl champion coach in the history of Philadelphia.

2)      Favre, The Patriots, and Vince Lombardi

"Vince Lombardi trophy" (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by WBUR

While the Eagles had longtime fan Kobe Bryant speak to the team mid-season, Doug Pederson decided to bring Favre in to address the group before the biggest game of their lives. Favre spoke about enjoying the experience and taking advantage of time the players had to themselves during the crazy week. The 11 time pro-bowler was the winner of Super Bowl XXXI where he defeated, none other than, the New England Patriots.

The super bowl trophy is named after legendary Packers coach, Vince Lombardi. This year's eagles team brought the Lombardi trophy to Lincoln Financial Field, down Broad Street, and up the “Rocky” steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. This was the Eagles first championship since 1960, when the eagles defeated…..well…. Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers.

3)      Carson Wentz Grew Up Watching Favre

"Carson Wentz" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Keith Allison

While Wentz isn’t quite the "gunslinger" style quarterback Favre was, (which Eagle fans are likely happy about) the second-year quarterback has publicly stated his fandom of Favre. Wentz writes in the Players Tribune:

"I just admired the way he played football. Nobody ever questioned how serious or competitive he was, and the way he showed off those qualities is what made me love him. The guy would get licked and then get back up, throw a 40-yard bomb and run around the field jumping and laughing like a little kid. He wasn’t out there to manage the game. He was a gunslinger. The guy flat out made plays. That’s the quarterback that I wanted to be."

Wentz was a favorite for the NFL MVP award before suffering a knee injury in week 14 against the LA Rams. Eagles fans can thank Brett Favre for inspiring some of the miraculous plays they've seen so far in Wentz's young career.

4)      Andy Reid and the Packers

"Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Kevin Burkett

Andy Reid has more wins with the Philadelphia Eagles than any other coach in the history of the organization. Reid was hired in 1999 and was the team's head coach for 14 seasons. Prior to his stint in Philadelphia, Reid began his professional coaching career in Green Bay under Mike Holmgren, where he was the offensive line coach of the Super Bowl winning Packers in 1997.

During his tenure in Green Bay, Reid developed a unique relationship with backup quarterback Doug Pederson.When Reid was given his first head coaching opportunity in Philadelphia, he brought Pederson along to be his starting quarterback. The Eagles selected Donovan McNabb with the second overall selection in the 1999 NFL draft, who  eventually won the job from the team's future head coach. Reid and Pederson's work together was not finished at that point, however. Pederson would return as an assistant coach for Reid from 2009 - 2015 (for both the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs). The following season Reid recommended Pederson to his former team in Philadelphia to replace their recently fired coach, Chip Kelly.

While many Philadelphia fans are highly critical of Reid's inability to win the big game, they should be grateful of their former coach for giving Pederson his first coaching opportunity in the NFL, and for laying the foundation for success.

5)     Freddie Mitchell Converts 4^th and 26

While Freddie Mitchell and his most famous reception did not have a direct impact on Super Bowl 52, it's hard to write about the Eagles and Packers without mentioning this play.

One of the greatest games in Eagles franchise history came on January 11^th, 2004 when the team defeated the Favre led Packers after converting on 4^th and 26 near the end of the game. This play took place with 1:10 left in the game, after a comeback effort found the Eagles down three points. The Eagles would tie the game, and send it into overtime.  In the extra period, Favre threw a game ending interception to one of the greatest and most beloved Eagles ever, Brian Dawkins, who coincidentally was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame the same week as the Eagles' big win.

Before the “Philly Special” and Brandon Graham’s sack of Tom Brady, this was one of the biggest plays in Eagles post-season history.  Mitchell, who made the legendary reception was coincidentally spotted during the half-time show of Super Bowl 52, taking pictures on two phones next to Justin Timberlake.

P.S. Mitchell also made the championship belt celebration popular before Packers current quarterback Aaron Rodgers was even drafted into the NFL.

From Lambeau to the Link

"Lambeau Field in HDR" (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by elviskennedy

While the Green Bay faithful did not celebrate with the eagles during their championship parade, and Favre will not receive a ring the first week of next season, the Packer contributions to the Eagles championship should not go unrecognized.

And who knows? If the Eagles trade Nick Foles this off-season, maybe Favre will even consider suiting up in a different shade of green.