Antonio Pierce Recalls Brett Favre’s 'Ultimate Disrespect' to Him

Despite holding a 9-17 NFL head coaching record, Antonio Pierce was a standout player in his heyday. With a Super Bowl championship and a Pro Bowl appearance, he undeniably left his mark on the league. But like most players, he also faced plenty of challenges along the way.

In fact, Pierce’s journey was far from easy. He went undrafted in 2001, and few knew his name. He initially signed with the Washington Redskins before being traded to the New York Giants in 2005. There, he got the break he needed, making the Pro Bowl in 2006. He even helped the team win a Super Bowl in 2007 against the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

Recently, Pierce revealed that his challenges sometimes came in unexpected forms, like interactions with opposing players. He recounted one particularly wild encounter during a game against star QB Brett Favre.

“Brett Favre looks at me and he says, ‘58? Who the hell is 58?’ And I literally, during the play, I just stopped, and said, ‘Damn. That’s like the ultimate disrespect you can get.’ They whooped our tail the whole game, too,” Pierce shared on the NFL on CBS.

As an undrafted rookie trying to make his way on the Washington football team, it was a harsh moment for Pierce. He didn’t say or do anything to provoke Favre either. But perhaps the QB decided to play mind games with his opponent before the play, which worked. The Packers would go on to win the game 37-0.