Ironmen By ESPN Kids Writer

Every week he comes to work. He puts on his pads, his uniform and his helmet and takes the field with his team. It's been this way since 1992. For the last 17 years, this quarterback has done his job every single game.

When he took the field for the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, Brett Favre set a pro football record. He has now started 271 consecutive games, an unbelievable number in a sport where players routinely miss games because of bumps and bruises.

What it Takes: More than anything, it takes a strong love of the game to achieve a record like this. Favre loves the game and wants to get out there and play every weekend. Even though he is older than most NFL players, he is able to compete at a very high level. He does this by working hard between games and during the off-season to stay in shape. Even when he is tired and sore, Favre makes sure he is able to play the game. Now that's dedication!

Why it's Important: Just about everybody stays home once in awhile. Children and adults get sick and stay home from work or school. People take vacations and days off. Favre, though, hasn't taken a day off from work in 17 years. He has set a standard that people of all ages can look up to. He made a commitment to his team and sticks by it, showing up every week ready to play.

Other Sports: Other sports have their own ironmen. In baseball, nobody played more consecutive games than Cal Ripken. He played 2,632 straight games for the Orioles, a streak that also spanned 17 seasons. In pro basketball, A.C. Green played 1,192 straight games for the Lakers, Suns and Mavericks. Doug Jarvis played 964 consecutive hockey games for the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and Hartford Whalers between 1975 and 1988.

All of these players have one thing in common - the dedication to play the game no matter what the circumstances. They all, like Favre, worked hard to stay in shape and remained competitive for many, many years.

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