Bryce Petty has a little Brett Favre in him

Believe it or not, but Bryce Petty’s strong arm and gritty play are similar to that of another former starting quarterback of the New York Jets.

The 2017 NFL Draft is over and now it is time to focus on the guys on the roster. Before the draft, we give prospects pro comparisons. After declining to draft a quarterback, the Jets are giving Bryce Petty a chance at his time to shine. Todd Bowles announced an open QB competition come training camp, and Petty’s inner Brett Favre will win him the job.

For 20 years, Favre’s best selling points were a rocket arm, tough play and his passion for football and competing. Favre used these attributes to carry his 20-year Pro Football Hall of Fame career. While declaring Petty ready for Canton is a certainly a stretch, these same qualities could give him a shot at being the Jets franchise quarterback.

Before his preseason debut, Petty told the media via an article written by Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News that he wanted to “Brett Favre it.” Petty said:

“I don’t want to make execution sound boring or sound lame. I want to go in there and Brett Favre it. Just do amazing things. That’s the way I feel you kind of have to be. There’s got to be some inspiring plays in there and some things that make them say, ‘Wow! Did you see Bryce?’ That’s what I want them to say, (but) I don’t want to play outside of the execution and try to (force) things. Just let things work, but at the same time, I want to ball out, for sure.”

Week 14 Comeback-OT Win Speaks to Petty’s Will to Win

18 weeks later as the starting QB, Petty showed us his abilities to “Brett Favre it” against San Francisco. In a relatively meaningless game, Petty showed his competitive spirit and his love for winning. Petty’s Favre-like rocket arm is something we’ve known he possesses. But Petty leading the Jets to a comeback win in overtime was a true testament to his passion for competing.

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Not only did Petty exhibit a great competitive spirit, but also great resiliency. We saw Petty, after throwing an interception, come back and make some big throws leading the Jets to victory. Additionally, Petty showed great toughness by dragging a defender into the end zone to convert on a crucial 2-point attempt.

Out of everything, what was the best thing Petty showed us in Week 14? Petty was having the time of his life. Petty was having fun. Out of everybody who has every played in the NFL, nobody has had more fun than Favre. Favre’s love for playing and competing are what gave him his edge, this will be the same for Petty.

Like Favre, Petty has a lot he can improve on and certainly is not perfect. The only thing holding Petty back is a lack of starting experience. After showing us a few flashes of brilliance, Petty will continue to grow in 2017 with more experience.  With plenty of room to grow, Petty’s strong arm, love for the game and love for competing, be it a long shot, could ultimately establish him as the Jets franchise quarterback. As for this year, Petty has the best chance to start for the Jets come Week 1.