One of the most iconic quarterbacks in NFL history, Brett Favre scored a 22 on the Wonderlic during his draft combine in 1991. Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round out of Southern Mississippi. Favre holds several NFL records, including a 321 consecutive game starting streak. Fave played with the Green Bay Packers for 16 seasons, as well as with the Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings.
The Wonderlic is a intelligence test that NFL teams have their draft prospects take. The potential NFL draftees normally take the Wonderlic during the NFL Combine. This past draft cycle, there was not a central place for the NFL combine, but instead there were pro days spread across several college campuses. 2021 potential draft picks reportedly took cognitive ability tests that were similar to the Wonderlic.
Many employers use the Wonderlic within their human resources and initial employee screening process. The average score on the Wonderlic test is a 20. Favre scored slightly above the average. In the 2020 NFL draft, notable quarterback Wonderlic scores included Justin Herbert with a 39, Joe Burrow with a 34, Tua Tagovailoa with a 19, and Jalen Hurt with a 21. All of those quarterbacks are regular starters in the NFL.
Other quarterbacks who played in Favre’s era and their Wonderlic score include:
Eli Manning Wonderlic score: 39
Phillip Rivers Wonderlic score: 30
Drew Bledsoe Wonderlic score: 36
Tom Brady Wonderlic score: 33
Petyon Manning Wonderlic score: 28
So Favre’s Wonderlic score of 22 is certainly lower than most of his peers, although this list of quarterback Wonderlic scores could be longer since Favre played for 20 years. His career and passing statistics put him in a uniquely high top category for NFL quarterbacks. And while Favre’s career has had some controversy with his retirement from the Green Bay Packers and then coming back with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, he will still go down as one of the most exciting quarterbacks of all time.