Brett Favre made his reputation in the NFL with big-time throws, taking chances and, yes, durability even in the face of physical damage. He started 297 consecutive regular-season games and withstood a barrage of hits with the Vikings against New Orleans in the 2009 NFC title game.
Rules designed to protect the quarterback have increased over the years, and this year officials are being even more strict and enforcing penalties for roughing the quarterback that look like perfectly legal plays.
"I think they have gone too far. It hasn't been that long since I retired but in some ways it's like light-years away," Favre said this week on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
He talked about the penalty on Clay Matthews that gave the Vikings new life in an eventual 29-29 tie with Green Bay: "This call was so bad, and I think this call is a result of all the hype and the pressure to protect the quarterbacks."
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
