It seems like pretty much anyone who ever interacted with Brett Favre has a Brett Favre story. Former NFL referee Bill Carollo definitely does.
Via Gary D’Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, it happened in late 2003. The Packers hosted the Broncos. And Denver coach Mike Shanahan had a concern about Carollo’s place of residence, citing a league rule that referees can’t work games in their hometowns. Carollo explained that he lives in Milwaukee, not Green Bay.
During the game, Packers running back Ahman Green broke loose for a 98-yard touchdown run. So Favre, running with Carollo, tried to get the referee to celebrate with him.
“Brett keeps hitting me, ‘Carollo, give me five, give me five!’” Carollo told D’Amato. “He’s trying to high-five me. I tell him, ‘I can’t give you five, Brett.’ He’s hitting me on the butt, on the shoulder, on the back. He’s yelling, ‘He’s going all the way! Give me five!’ I’m ducking away from him and yelling, ‘I can’t give you five.’”
Even though Carollo resisted, Shanahan noticed.
“We run right past Shanahan, and he holds out his hands and yells, ‘Carollo, I told you you shouldn’t be working this game!’”
Not that the Packers needed the help. They were leading 17-3 in the fourth quarter, when Green’s long run happened. Green Bay went on to win, 31-3.