Brett Favre started his NFL career in 1991 when the Atlanta Falcons drafted him in the second round. But a year later, Favre found his new home at Green Bay. However, not everyone agreed with how the Packers planned to develop their young quarterback at that time. And now, decades later, one of the Packers’ offensive coaching members at that time, Jon Gruden, looks back on their decision while reflecting on the outcome of the move.

“It was 1992, and I knew Favre because he played at Southern Miss against my brother at Louisville,” said Gruden on Not Just Football with Cam Heyward. “But I don’t think Mooch [Steve Mariucci], I don’t know if Andy knew who the hell Favre was. He was a backup quarterback for the Falcons. We had two first-round picks, and we traded a number one pick to Atlanta to get Brett Favre. And a lot of people were shocked. They thought we were idiots.

“And what we did, though, back then, Cam, is we stayed in that office the whole offseason teaching Brett the offense and teaching them the communication. That was before the quarterback to coach walkietalkie and Brett bought in, and the rest is history. He was the kingmaker. Favre is the guy that got all of us jobs cuz when he took off, man, he took off. And as you know, that’s how it is in pro football. If your quarterback is great, there’s a good chance your team is going to be good, and your coaches are going to be coveted.”

In 1992, the Green Bay Packers were led by HC Mike Holmgren and general manager Ron Wolf. Meanwhile, the coaching staff included  Steve Mariucci (quarterbacks coach), Jon Gruden (Offensive assistant/quality control coach), and Andy Reid (Assistant offensive line & tight ends coach). While most of them weren’t quite aware of Favre’s prowess, Gruden knew what he was getting his team into.

Favre entered the 1991 NFL Draft after playing for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, where he racked up 7,695 passing yards while posting 52 touchdowns. The team’s decision to trade for the then-Falcons’ backup QB Favre was well-approved by Gruden, even though Mariucci and Reid weren’t aware of the young QB’s talent.

And Brett Favre didn’t disappoint. In 255 games for Green Bay, Favre threw for 61,655 yards along with 442 touchdowns. By the end of his 16-year career with the Packers, the signal-caller won Super Bowl XXXI, three consecutive NFL MVPs (1995, 1996, 1997), and an NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1995).

According to Jon Gruden, Favre’s performance somehow elevated their careers. After the Packers stint, Gruden turned into an offensive coordinator (Eagles, 1995-1997) and head coach (Raiders and Buccaneers). Meanwhile, Andy Reid became one of the top NFL coaches in history with 279 wins and is still actively coaching the Kansas City Chiefs.