Best quarterback/wide receiver duos in NFL history
By Staff
20. Brett Favre and Sterling Sharpe
Well, his first career pass attempt might have been completed to himself, but that technically didn’t count. So how did a guaranteed Hall-of-Fame quarterback really start his career? It was with a pick-six.
But that was the Atlanta Falcons version of Brett Favre as a rookie. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers the next year, and everything worked out.
It worked out so well that Favre would go on to break all of Dan Marino’s records — including most touchdown passes. Marino retired with the lead at 420 touchdowns, but Favre flew by that and ended with 508 touchdowns thrown.
Favre also managed to do something Marino could never do: win a Super Bowl. Green Bay took down the New England Patriots in 1996, and a year later the Packers were beaten by the Denver Broncos and John Elway.
One of Favre’s right-hand men during his run with the Packers was Sterling Sharpe. While Antonio Freeman actually has the most touchdowns caught from Favre, Sharpe would have held that title if he played more than just six years.
Sharpe caught 41 of Favre’s touchdowns and never missed a game in his six seasons with Green Bay. He reached double-digits touchdowns four times in that span and led the league in touchdown receptions in 1992 (13) and 1994 (18).
Ironically, Sharpe retired two years before Favre led the Packers to the title. But who knows how many points they could have put up if they stayed together. Connecting for 41 touchdowns in only six years is mind boggling. That just goes to show how in sync they really were.