By Mark Craig

Minneapolis Star Tribune

MANKATO — Brett Favre didn’t struggle when asked via e-mail recently to pick the one statistic he treasures most from the colossal stack of accomplishments he built through the course of a 20-season NFL career.

“Consecutive starts by far means the most,” Favre said. “Without it, the others never would have happened.”

On the NFL’s list of consecutive regular-season starts, Favre ranks No. 1 at 297. He will live the rest of his life insisting the record book should read 321 because of the 24 additional starts he made in the playoffs.

That’s an NFL ironman for you. Never willing to give away a start.

Thirteen players in NFL history started at least 200 consecutive regular-season games. Five of them are former Vikings, including Favre, the Packers great whose final 28 starts were posted in purple from 2009 to ‘10.

Nos. 2-3 on the list are former Vikings co-captains Jim Marshall (270) and 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Mick Tingelhoff (240). Hall of Famers Alan Page (215) and Randall McDaniel (202) also represent the Vikings at No. 6 and No. 13, respectively.

“You look at the numbers that Brett and Mick and Jim Marshall put up and shake your head,” said Vikings center John Sullivan, the team’s current leader in consecutive starts with 57. “It’s amazing that they were able to play like that week in and week out because it’s not like they weren’t getting hurt. They were getting hurt, but they were just playing through it.”

Perhaps fittingly in the year Tingelhoff will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, the Vikings have a guy who leads all active NFL centers in consecutive games started. Sullivan’s streak of 57 will take the lead if former Texans center Chris Myers (128) remains an unsigned free agent on opening day.

“Those streaks happen on their own,” Sullivan said. “Sometimes there are injuries that you just can’t play through and it’s actually better for the team if you do miss time. And better for you personally.”

The Vikings’ 22 projected starters have a combined 273 consecutive starts. Eight of them are starting over at zero. Right behind Sullivan are left tackle Matt Kalil (48), defensive end Brian Robison (33), receiver Mike Wallace (32) and nose tackle Linval Joseph (26).

Leaguewide, Giants quarterback Eli Manning ranks No. 1 at 167. Older brother Peyton missed the 2011 season, ending his streak at 208, tied for 10th all-time.

“First thing you have to be is lucky,” Page said. “And No. 2, you have to be good enough to survive that long. And No. 3, you have to play well as a team.”