Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre will has been named Sports Illustrated 2007 Sportsman of the Year.

Favre will appear on the cover of the Dec. 10 issue of the magazine and becomes the fourth quarterback to win the award in the 53-year history of the magazine. Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw (1979), San Francisco's Joe Montana and New England's Tom Brady (2005) are the other three.

In the midst of one of his best seasons in his 17-year career, Favre has passed for 3,412 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also set the all-time record for most passing touchdowns and needs just 450 yards to break Dan Marino's all-time record of 61,361 passing yards. Favre has also led what many expected to be a mediocre Packers squad to a 10-2 record.

SI writer Alan Shipnuck calls Favre's 249-game streak of consecutive starts "Ripkenesque" and cites his ability to play through injury and personal crisis as one of the main reasons for his selection.

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