The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced Monday that it will induct former Packers quarterback Brett Favreat the 45th Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held the evening of July 18, 2015. The event also will feature the retirement of No. 4 by the Packers organization. Favre's name and No. 4 subsequently will be unveiled inside Lambeau Field on the north façade during a ceremony at a to-be-determined game during the 2015 season.
The joint announcement took place at the site of the new Packers Hall of Fame, currently under construction in the Lambeau Field Atrium and set to open in 2015. The announcement was made by Packers Hall of Fame Inc. President Perry Kidder and Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. Bob Harlan, a member of the Packers Hall of Fame Inc. executive committee and chairman emeritus of the Packers, also was on hand. Favre joined the announcement via telephone.
"We're very pleased to announce we will induct Brett Favre, one of the Packers' greatest players ever, into the Packers Hall of Fame," Kidder said. "The event will mark just the sixth time in our organization's history that a single person will be inducted, fitting recognition of his elite contributions."
"Everyone in the Packers organization is looking forward to this very special induction night," Murphy said. "Brett's impact on the franchise was tremendous, and retiring his number at the ceremony will be a unique and fitting tribute. That honor will then continue in the fall when his name and number will be unveiled during a game in Lambeau Field."
"I'm humbled and honored to be selected for induction into the Packers Hall of Fame and to have my number retired by the Packers," Favre said. "Long ago, when my career started, I simply wanted a chance to play. I could not have imagined how special the 16 years would be. I'm looking forward to sharing the induction event with my family next July, and then having an incredible experience in Lambeau."
Favre, one of the most enduring players in Packers history, played 16 seasons for the Green and Gold (1992-2007) and finished his Packers career with 442 passing touchdowns, 61,655 passing yards, 5,377 completions and 8,758 attempts – all NFL records at the time. Possessor of legendary durability, Favre's 253-game starting streak with the Packers is one of pro sport's most respected accomplishments. His 16 seasons matched Bart Starr (1956-71) for the longest tenure in team history.
Favre played four other NFL seasons (Atlanta, 1991; N.Y. Jets, 2008; Minnesota, 2009-10) and finished his pro career with 508 passing TDs, 71,838 passing yards, 6,300 completions and 10,169 attempts, and pushed his consecutive-starts streak to 298 games – all NFL records.
Off the field, Favre and his wife Deanna have been supportive of the communities in which they've lived, with the Brett Favre 4Ward Foundation donating in excess of $3 million to charities in Wisconsin and Mississippi.
Details regarding the banquet, including ticket and sponsorship information, are still being finalized and will be released sometime in early 2015. The 2015 Packers game that will feature Favre's name and No. 4 unveiling will be determined after the 2015 NFL schedule is released.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a nonprofit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual induction banquet, Golf Classic and other events to preserve the history of the Green Bay Packers and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.
Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Hall moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it relocated to the Lambeau Field Atrium. It is currently closed for the ongoing Atrium renovation project and will reopen in 2015. While the Packers Hall of Fame is closed, the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay hosts a temporary exhibit, "Touchdown!", with selected and additional never-seen-before items from the Hall's archives.
