Packers Plan to Retire Brett Favre's Jersey, Induct Him into Packers Hall of Fame

On Monday, the Green Bay Packers held a joint announcement with the Packers Hall of Fame to announce that Brett Favre will have his jersey retired and be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on the same day, in an event which will take place on July 18th, 2015. The team will then hold a public ceremony during a 2015 game to honor Favre by unveiling his name in the Ring of Honor.

Perry Kidder, President of Packers Hall of Fame Inc., took the stage first, and he discussed briefly the renovations to the Hall of Fame and the new exhibits and memorabilia. Kidder confirmed that next summer, the Hall of Fame will indeed induct Brett Favre, and that his induction was a unanimous selection by the Hall of Fame induction committee. He also noted that the team will be inducting Favre and Favre alone for the class of 2015.

Kidder then alluded to an additional honor which will be bestowed on Favre by the team the same day as his induction.

Packers CEO Mark Murphy took to the podium to address this second honor, which was naturally the retiring of Favre's #4 jersey. The fascinating part of this plan is that it will officially take place on the same night as his Packers Hall of Fame induction banquet. However, Murphy said that the team will also reveal Favre's name in the Ring of Honor on the Lambeau Field facade during a 2015 game. Don't start booking hotel rooms yet, though, as Murphy said the following:

We'll determine what game we'll have that ceremony in 2015 with Brett and his family.

Former Packers CEO Bob Harlan spoke briefly on Favre and Ron Wolf's impact on the franchise and its history before introducing Favre himself, who had called in on the telephone. Harlan underscored the deliberate point that Favre will be the only Packer to both have his number retired and be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the same time, and said "It's great to have old friends home again" before ceding the floor to Favre himself.

Favre then gave a prepared statement regarding the process, addressing his past as a member of the Packers and his reaction to this plan:

Wow...(laughs)...I'm speechless, I can't thank you enough...I'm honored, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

I'd always dreamed of playing pro football as a kid, but I've never dreamed of Hall of Fames and jerseys being retired and things of that nature.

There's no place like (Green Bay), it's rich in tradition, and to just be associated with that organization and the names that have been placed in the Ring of Honor, the names that have been placed in the Hall of Fame, it's more than a dream come true. It's truly an honor, and it's time to come back.

You can't take away the 16 years I played in Green Bay, you can't take away those memories.

Favre then took a handful of questions from the media, further discussing his feelings on his honors and about the Packers organization:

Wouldn't it be nice to flip the coin with Bart Starr before the game? I've got chills just thinking about it...if we could get that done, that would be an amazing moment.

I've commented a couple times over the past few weeks that (negative reaction from fans) is not a concern, and it's not...will 100% of the people be for you? That's never the case. But I know the Packers fans as well as anyone and there's no one like them. And that's what makes them such a special organization, city, and fan base world-wide...I'm not concerned about it one bit...that's what I am is a Packer. That's what I'm remembered for and that's how I want to be remembered.

I haven't thought about (who will present him at the induction) in great detail. Actually, within the last week or so, I've thought about it a little bit. I'll think about it a little bit more, but there are a few people who are on my short list.

I have not talked to either (Ted Thompson or Mike McCarthy) recently. Ted over the last few years has sent some messages periodically. Very good messages, even back when I was playing elsewhere. Just complimentary, which I returned as well.

At that halftime ceremony, the unveiling, I would love, and I've talked to Ron (Wolf) about this...I'd love to have Ron Wolf walk out with me, and I'd love to have Mike Holmgren...to have them come out there with me and celebrate that moment would be an amazing moment, which it already will be.

Are you kidding me? Absolutely. Our organization, and I say our, has been rare in a lot of ways because of the amount of great names and players that have come and gone, the tradition, the Super Bowls, and just the fact that Green Bay is such a small town and has been the best of the best for so long, it just says a lot about the city and the fan base. But to have three quarterbacks that have stood the test of time...it's so hard to do...to have three players who've done it, you're in such a special category. I would be honored, I hope it gets done, I really do. I'd love to be a part of that.

The Packers also announced that while the team will be investigating expanding the traditional capacity of the Hall of Fame induction banquet, the team will not be selling tickets for the event at the present time and would be announcing details later on.