New York Jets quarterback and Packers icon Brett Favre announced his retirement again.
My advice to football fans is don't believe him. Football fans have seen this soap opera like drama play out before.
Favre has grappled with retirement before in the last half dozen seasons. He retired from the Packers in March while choking back tears. When training camp rolled around, he feuded with Green Bay management after having a change of heart and wanting to play football. After reaching a stalemate, the Packers traded Favre to the Jets for a third round draft pick in August.
It's only fitting Favre's announcement came three days before Valentine's Day. My guess is Favre won't be getting any Valentine's Day wishes from New York players after his play diminished. The Jets started out 8-3, but flopped down the stretch losing four of their last five games and missed the playoffs. Jets coach Eric Mangini was fired. Running back Thomas Jones and other players chastised Favre for his deteriorating play and lobbied for his benching. It's a hard fall from being the savior for the Packers.
Once training camp rolls around again, Favre will get the itch to throw passes again. This time it will be for the dreaded Minnesota Vikings. Favre allegedly lobbied for a trade to Minnesota last season. The Packers even went as far as filing tampering charges against the Vikings. After the way Favre's season in New York went, he will not step back in a huddle with the Jets.
Favre didn't leave the game he loved on his terms. He had his season take a turn for the worst as he battled through a torn biceps tendon. Why would Favre come back? He's won a Super Bowl and is a three-time MVP. It's simple - he wants to prove the Packers wrong. Favre has never been decisive when it comes to saying farewell and hanging up the cleats and helmet.
There's no denying Favre's lasting effect on the game. During his 16 seasons with Green Bay, he helped lead the Packers to consecutive Super Bowls, including a victory over New England in 1997. Favre holds an iron man record for consecutive starts (291) including playoffs that won't be matched for several generations.
Favre also set records for career touchdown passes (464), completions (5,720), yards passing (65,127), regular-season victories (169) and interceptions (310). He tied Joe Namath for the NFL record for the most TD passes in one game (six) in a win over Arizona.
Many fans won't forget the Packers turning their back on a Hall-of-Fame quarterback and not wanting him back. Those same fans scoff at the notion that Aaron Rodgers as a first year starter would give the Packers a better chance to win. Some contend Favre left the Packers in limbo with his wishy-washy retirement drama, which Green Bay grew weary with every year. Others believe general manager Ted Thompson had too big of an ego in trying to prove he could build a winner without Favre.
The Packers handed the offensive reins over to Rodgers and he played at an All-Pro level for most of the season. The season Rodgers had is strikingly comparable to Favre's last season in Green Bay when the Packers reached the NFC Championship game. Few believed that would be Favre's swan song.
The Packers announced they will retire Favre's number at the "appropriate time."
"It's a shame what has unfolded throughout the whole thing," Favre said in a teleconference Wednesday. "But I don't know. I don't know. I don't have an answer for that right now. It may be five years, it may be the first game."
And Favre hinted that the continued presence of the man who traded him, might play a role in when he's ready to return to Green Bay.
"He had his reasonings, I had my reasonings," Favre said of his past disagreements with Thompson. "Who's to say who's right and who's wrong. He has a plan. I'm not mad at him for that. Other people may be, but I don't know. It's a touchy situation."
No matter what side of the Favre saga you were on, I'm counting down the days until the next Favre watch. The Vikings could become Super Bowl favorites with a jolt of better quarterback play.
My advice to football fans is don't believe him. Football fans have seen this soap opera like drama play out before.
Favre has grappled with retirement before in the last half dozen seasons. He retired from the Packers in March while choking back tears. When training camp rolled around, he feuded with Green Bay management after having a change of heart and wanting to play football. After reaching a stalemate, the Packers traded Favre to the Jets for a third round draft pick in August.
It's only fitting Favre's announcement came three days before Valentine's Day. My guess is Favre won't be getting any Valentine's Day wishes from New York players after his play diminished. The Jets started out 8-3, but flopped down the stretch losing four of their last five games and missed the playoffs. Jets coach Eric Mangini was fired. Running back Thomas Jones and other players chastised Favre for his deteriorating play and lobbied for his benching. It's a hard fall from being the savior for the Packers.
Once training camp rolls around again, Favre will get the itch to throw passes again. This time it will be for the dreaded Minnesota Vikings. Favre allegedly lobbied for a trade to Minnesota last season. The Packers even went as far as filing tampering charges against the Vikings. After the way Favre's season in New York went, he will not step back in a huddle with the Jets.
Favre didn't leave the game he loved on his terms. He had his season take a turn for the worst as he battled through a torn biceps tendon. Why would Favre come back? He's won a Super Bowl and is a three-time MVP. It's simple - he wants to prove the Packers wrong. Favre has never been decisive when it comes to saying farewell and hanging up the cleats and helmet.
There's no denying Favre's lasting effect on the game. During his 16 seasons with Green Bay, he helped lead the Packers to consecutive Super Bowls, including a victory over New England in 1997. Favre holds an iron man record for consecutive starts (291) including playoffs that won't be matched for several generations.
Favre also set records for career touchdown passes (464), completions (5,720), yards passing (65,127), regular-season victories (169) and interceptions (310). He tied Joe Namath for the NFL record for the most TD passes in one game (six) in a win over Arizona.
Many fans won't forget the Packers turning their back on a Hall-of-Fame quarterback and not wanting him back. Those same fans scoff at the notion that Aaron Rodgers as a first year starter would give the Packers a better chance to win. Some contend Favre left the Packers in limbo with his wishy-washy retirement drama, which Green Bay grew weary with every year. Others believe general manager Ted Thompson had too big of an ego in trying to prove he could build a winner without Favre.
The Packers handed the offensive reins over to Rodgers and he played at an All-Pro level for most of the season. The season Rodgers had is strikingly comparable to Favre's last season in Green Bay when the Packers reached the NFC Championship game. Few believed that would be Favre's swan song.
The Packers announced they will retire Favre's number at the "appropriate time."
"It's a shame what has unfolded throughout the whole thing," Favre said in a teleconference Wednesday. "But I don't know. I don't know. I don't have an answer for that right now. It may be five years, it may be the first game."
And Favre hinted that the continued presence of the man who traded him, might play a role in when he's ready to return to Green Bay.
"He had his reasonings, I had my reasonings," Favre said of his past disagreements with Thompson. "Who's to say who's right and who's wrong. He has a plan. I'm not mad at him for that. Other people may be, but I don't know. It's a touchy situation."
No matter what side of the Favre saga you were on, I'm counting down the days until the next Favre watch. The Vikings could become Super Bowl favorites with a jolt of better quarterback play.
