Vikings quarterback Brett Favre is back on old turf

Earlier this season, before returning to play at Philadelphia for the first time as a visitor, Washington’s Donovan McNabb joked about accidentally coming out of the home team’s tunnel.

Minnesota’s Brett Favre might say the same thing about playing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

After all, Favre has started 118 games at that legendary stadium, tying him with Denver great John Elway (118 at Mile High Stadium) for the most starts by a quarterback at a given venue.

Favre on Sunday will own that record alone.

“This is my last go-around, and of course I played a ton of games in that stadium,” Favre said. “Not once did I ever step in that stadium … [when I] did not respect and feel very privileged to be on Lambeau Field. Every touchdown was as joyous as the next. So I’ve always savored the moment and never took it for granted. This will be no exception.”

Last season, when his Vikings beat the Packers there, Favre became the second quarterback to win 90 games at one stadium since 1970. Only Elway, who won 95 games at Mile High Stadium, has reached the 90-win mark at an NFL venue during that span.

The quarterbacks to win the most games in a career at one stadium (since 1970; *active):

QUARTERBACK, STADIUM, WINS
John Elway, Mile High Stadium, 95
Brett Favre, Lambeau Field, *90
Terry Bradshaw, Three Rivers Stadium, 67
Dan Marino, Sun Life Stadium, 60
Phil Simms, Giants Stadium, 59
Source: NFL?

There’s always a catch

Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald needs one catch for 550. If he gets that Sunday against Seattle, he will become the youngest player (27 years 54 days) to reach that milestone.

Fitzgerald also needs 132 yards receiving to become the second-youngest to reach the 7,500-yard mark. The record holder in both categories is Minnesota’s Randy Moss.

Sunday, at Seattle, the Cardinals will be playing for first place in the NFC West.

“I love playing in Seattle more than any place in the league,” Fitzgerald said. “You know exactly what it’s going to be. It’s going to be a hostile environment.”

Still, it’s safe to say the Seahawks’ “12th Man” crowd won’t be cheering Fitzgerald, even if he does reach those milestones.

Fitzgerald has 549 receptions for 7,368 yards. The youngest players to reach 550 receptions and 7,500 receiving yards (y=years; d=days):

PLAYER, 550 REC
Randy Moss, 27 y 247 d
Andre Johnson, 28 y 148 d
Tony Gonzalez, 28 y 302 d
Herman Moore, 28 y 335 d
Anquan Boldin, 29 y 50 d

PLAYER, 7,500 YARDS
Randy Moss, 26 y 255 d
Jerry Rice, 28 y 51 d
Lance Alworth, 28 y 85 d
James Lofton, 28 y 136 d
Andre Johnson, 28 y 155 d
Source: NFL?

Mr. Touchdown

Kansas City linebacker Mike Vrabel caught a two-yard touchdown pass last Sunday. That made him the first player who began his career after 1933 to have 10 or more career receptions, all for touchdowns. Vrabel also had two postseason catches in New England, both for touchdowns. His career totals? Twelve catches, 12 touchdowns.

sam.farmer@latimes.com
twitter.com/LATimesfarmer