CANTON, Ohio -- As Brett Favre toured the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Friday with Steve Mariucci, his former position coach with the Green Bay Packers, the longtime coach couldn't help but give Favre grief about his mock locker display in the museum -- the one that contained a Minnesota Vikings jersey.
The way Favre put it, Mariucci poked fun at the Packers gear and Vikings paraphernalia side-by-side in the same locker.
Then Favre, who had no say in the artifacts selected for his display, turned serious.
"There's no doubt how I will be remembered, and that's as a Packer," Favre said on the eve of his induction to the Hall of Fame on Saturday. "I wouldn't trade my 16 years in Green Bay for anything. And I said this, when you guys were in Green Bay for the Hall of Fame [last summer] and when I was on the field talking, I had a tremendous amount of respect for playing as a home team quarterback in Lambeau for so many years. But I really -- I don't know if I underappreciated how difficult it is to play on that field, with the fans cheering against you, until I walked out of the tunnel as an opponent.
"It was an incredible feeling of awe, and I'm really thankful that I played in Minnesota. We didn't win a championship, but I'm thankful that I had a chance to witness it from the other side, if that makes sense. Because I think I would have taken for granted how special it is to play there, and when I came out as an opponent, I realized this place is pretty special."
Packers fans flooded Canton this week, and although the occasional No. 4 Vikings or New York Jets jersey can be found -- Favre quarterbacked those two teams in the last three years of his career -- the overwhelming support for Favre comes from those in Packers gear. Favre received the loudest ovations at Thursday's Gold Jacket presentation, and a chant (“Go Pack go”) even broke out.
"The connection I've had with fans -- obviously Green Bay, but fans in general -- I think is different," Favre said. "A lot of players maybe can say that, but I believe there's always a connection and a perfect fit for me with Green Bay fans."