This week: The Rise of Brett Favre

Do not miss Bob McGinn's first "McGinn Files" piece at Go Long. Exclusive to subscribers, McGinn chats at length with the one and only, Brett Favre. Part I drops Wednesday. Details inside.

Getty Images

It’s one of the greatest What If’s in sports: Who knows where the Green Bay Packers are today without Brett Favre?

When this kid from Southern Miss took over, in 1992, the franchise was in a bad place.

And, well, you know the rest.

Favre is one of the greatest players in pro football history. The Packers are an institution. But how — really? — did this all begin? The back story is even wilder than you can even imagine. Here at Go Long, our Hall-of-Fame NFL writer Bob McGinn will be continuing his “McGinn Files” series that looks back at players taken in the NFL Draft since 1985. The foundation of the series is McGinn’s transcripts of his annual pre-draft interviews with general managers, personnel directors and scouts over the past 37 years.

You’ll see a side of NFL players you never have before in the McGinn Files.

We figured we’d start with a bang, too.

First up: The Rise of Brett Favre.

For this two-part series that eclipses 10,000 words, McGinn spoke at great length with Favre himself… and the legendary quarterback shares stories he never has before.

The McGinn Files will be exclusive to Go Long subscribers. If you’d like to read Parts I and II this week, subscribe below. We’ll keep our kickoff deal rolling, too. Subscribe at the *annual* rate and you’ll get a free Go Long t-shirt.

Thanks, everyone.