BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The Eagles will be visited by a special guest the day before they face the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Head coach Doug Pederson on Wednesday said his former teammate and NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre will stop by the Radisson Blu in the Mall of America on Saturday morning and speak to the Eagles in a team meeting.
"I figure that since he was going to be in town, just asked him," Pederson said.
Pederson was Favre's backup for seven seasons in Green Bay and the two have remained close friends. Pederson said he knew Favre would be in Minnesota for the Super Bowl and decided a talk from a former Super Bowl winner could help his team. Earlier in the season, in Los Angeles, Pederson and the Eagles brought in Kobe Bryant to speak to the team.
While that Kobe talk was big for several guys, hearing Favre on Saturday will certainly be a thrill for others, including quarterback Nick Foles, who has referred to himself as a "gunslinger" in the past. Favre is the ultimate gunslinger.
"He's one of the greatest to ever play the game," Foles said. "And just his style of play, his toughness. He is a true gunslinger. Rocket arm, can throw it from any angle, off his back foot, he can just throw it anywhere he wants.
"And he's been there, he's won the big game, he's won big games, he's played a lot, a lot of football. So anytime you have an opportunity to listen to someone like him speak, it's huge. I can't wait to listen to what wisdom and knowledge he gives us and I know everyone on our team will be excited to hear him speak."
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Favre, 48, last played for the Vikings in 2010 but obviously spent most of his Hall of Fame career in Green Bay. He won Super Bowl XXXI against the Patriots in 1997 in the Superdome in New Orleans. In that game, Favre completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. He had a passer rating of 107.9.
You can bet 6-year-old Lane Johnson was back in his hometown in Texas watching that game. While Johnson grew up in Texas, he was a big Packers fan. He has never met Favre before, so he's obviously looking forward to Saturday morning.
What does he want to get out of it?
"Just his perspective," Johnson said. "You think you know what he's about. Just watching him, I liked how much passion he played the game (with), that gunslinger mentality. You throw an interception, who gives a damn? Keep it coming. Just growing up, I idolized that trait about him. I think that's what people loved about Brett and loved being a teammate of his. I think it's just going to be a lot of fun. I'm anxious to hear him."
