WISCONSIN (REUTERS) - Retired quarterback Brett Favre was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and had his No. 4 retired on Saturday in the Lambeau Field Atrium.

More than 67,000 fans gathered in Green Bay, Wisconsin to give their former player an overwhelmingly positive reception

Said the 45-year-old as he addressed spectators: "All I can say is wow. Wow. This is absolutely amazing."

His departure from the team he had joined in 1992 and spent 16 seasons had been full of controversy. The exit pretty much all started when the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005.

Favre retired following the 2007 season, leaving Rodgers to become the team's new QB. However, Favre wavered in his commitment to retirement and asked to rejoin the team weeks later.

After mud slinging from both sides, Favre was eventually traded to the New York Jets for the 2008 season and later joined the Minnesota Vikings - an National Football Conference North rival of the Packers - for 2009 and 2010. He retired for good in 2011.

Former Green Bay Packers president Bob Harlan told CBS Sports that it was not just what Favre did on the field that made him such a fan favourite, but his off-the-field personality too.

Said Harlan: "I think Green Bay, Wisconsin was built for Brett Favre - the small town guy, the blue collar guy, loved country music, loved to mingle with the fans, have a few beers, have some pizza. There's nothing pretentious about him."

Favre played for the Packers from 1992-2007 and led Green Bay to a 35-21 victory over the New England in Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans at the end of the 1996 season.

"When you look back and talk about my career, it will be from a Packers standpoint," said Favre, who was selected the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and was selected to 11 Pro Bowls.

Favre holds NFL records for passing yards (71,838), passes attempted (10,169), pass completions (6,300), interceptions (336), starts (298) and victories as a starting quarterback (186).