Brett Favre

[WaltonRed]

Packers Will Retire No. 4... Later | Total Packers

Come back Brett all is forgiven!

[DJLJ]

Ok, this is now getting ridiculous.

What retirement? Favre's back, with the Vikings - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

What retirement? Favre’s back, with the Vikings

By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer 58 minutes ago

*
Buzz up! 1171 votes
*
Print

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)—This is the way it is with Brett Favre(notes): He announces he’s done, then has second thoughts.

Many of his new Minnesota teammates never believed he was truly staying retired. Vikings coach Brad Childress, just three weeks after Favre told him he wouldn’t be joining the team, was persistent enough to place another call.
Related Video
Expectations for Favre
Expectations for Favre

Expectations for Favre

No. 4 in purple Fantasy: Top 5 picks Fantasy: Rookie watch
More NFL Videos
Popular Across Yahoo!

* Bizarre brawl leaves coach with broken jaw
* Mystery death of Mozart could be solved
* Easy tips on how to save $500 a month

ADVERTISEMENT

Yes, Favre unretired again and, this time, he’ll be wearing purple.

Pulling an about-face on his playing status for the second straight summer, the holder of every major NFL career passing record will suit up for his old rival Minnesota starting with Friday’s preseason game at the Metrodome. The goal: help the Vikings win that elusive first Super Bowl.

“I think the guys will know that I’m in it for the right reasons, and that’s because I still love to play,” Favre said Tuesday at his introductory news conference after participating in his first practice with the team.

“This is not about revenge or anything like that,” he continued. “Believe me. You can’t take away the 16 years I had in Green Bay. It was unbelievable. It was great, and that will be forever cherished by me and the guys I played with. They’ve moved on. I’ve moved on. I think it’s great for football.”

Team owner Zygi Wilf’s private plane picked up Favre in Mississippi in the morning, and Childress himself arrived at the St. Paul airport to take the three-time winner of the league’s MVP award to the team’s suburban practice facility in Eden Prairie. A news helicopter hovered over their route, and hundreds of fans roared when Favre waved as he got out.

No less than 90 minutes later, he was on the field in his familiar No. 4 jersey with purple shorts and a purple helmet, a vision Packers fans have been cringing about for months. Favre shook hands with a few of his new teammates and quickly began warming up that old arm of his, as people peeked through the security fence to catch a glimpse of the stubble-faced superstar who couldn’t bring himself to sit still through another season.

“Through this whole process after I said ‘no’ three weeks ago, at times I was OK with it,” Favre said. “Other times I said, ‘Boy, you know, I feel like I could help that team.’ I think that’s the competitive fire in me.”

Childress has some of that fire, too.

After both he and Wilf insisted at the beginning of training camp there was no chance of revisiting the possibility, Childress checked in with Favre on Monday. Having recently received reassurance from Dr. James Andrews—the surgeon who performed the arthroscopic surgery on his throwing arm in May—that the torn rotator cuff he’s been playing with for a few years shouldn’t cause any further problems, Favre was feeling better about his body and his ability to hold up over an entire season.

So he quickly realized he was in a now-or-never situation.

“You need to cross over that line. You need to take that chance,” Favre said, recalling the advice Childress gave him. “At 39 years old, your arm may not feel like it did at 21, but the pieces are in place here where you don’t have to do as much.”

Now, Tarvaris Jackson(notes) and Sage Rosenfels(notes) will step aside instead of competing for the starting job.

“We knew all along that this was a possibility,” Jackson said. “You can’t always believe what you hear, especially on TV.”

The Vikings have Pro Bowl players all over their roster, with reigning NFL rushing leader Adrian Peterson in the backfield and a dominant defensive line. No matter who’s behind center, they ought to be in position to defend their NFC North title.

To win the conference, and perhaps—finally—a Super Bowl, they’ll need competence at the sport’s most critical position. That’s something they’ve consistently lacked since Childress took over in 2006.

They’ve also lacked a buzz from the fan base, but that’s clearly here now. The Vikings sold more than 2,500 season tickets on Tuesday, plus another 8,000 tickets to single games.
Quarterback Brett Favre(notes) pumps his fist after telling a story about how his players took the news of him coming to the Minnesota Vikings, during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Quarterback Brett Favre(notes)…
AP - Aug 18, 8:40 pm EDT

As for the fact that he essentially skipped training camp while everybody else was grinding it out during two-a-days?

“Brett Favre is a different player. He’s a Hall of Fame player,” tight end Visanthe Shiancoe(notes) said. “He can kind of stretch the limits a little bit. No hard feelings. He’s here. It is what it is.”

ESPN, citing anonymous sources, reported Favre would receive $12 million this season and $13 million next year if he’s on the roster for those season openers. For now, he’s focused on learning his new linemen and receivers and building up enough stamina so he can stay on the field.

The Packers await on Oct. 5, and his first trip back to Lambeau Field is on Nov. 1.

“The guys will learn him,” Childress said. “He’ll learn them, and we’ve got a whole month to put this thing together.”

[Acid]

Do you think he wants to try and play for as many teams as possible?

[neko]

what a clown - no big shocker, really.

bringing in a aging qb two weeks before the season starts is no way to structure a team.

i don't think favre will make all that much difference to the vikings anyways. they'll be a playoff team, but favre does not make them a superbowl team....no chance.

break a leg, brett.

[ticklemeclemo]

How to fuck up a legacy by B.Favre. Join the bitterest rivals of the team that made you a legend
Also reportedly 25 mill for 2 years for a 39 year old QB with a torn rotator cuff.
Good luck Vikes, im sure Adrian Petersen will get a lot of work blocking for the gunslinger

[Red Dawn]

Originally Posted by ticklemeclemo

Good luck Vikes, im sure Adrian Petersen will get a lot of work blocking for the gunslinger

That made me laugh. Have some rep. Dunno who is more dumb. The Vikings or Favre.

[Arno]

Well, imho the Vikings have just improved on the one position they needed to improve to be a SB contender. Not saying they will go to the SB, but more of a chance now than with Rosenfels or Jackson!

[WaltonRed]

Vikings arent the Packers biggest rivals are they I thought it was the Bears?

As for Brett, not suprised but I still cant believe he's come back...again.

[Cardie]

I know he's well known for threatening retirement but even for him this is ridiculous. He gave himself a deadline of the end of July to make a decision and decided against it only to go back two weeks later?

Should have stayed retired.

More interested in seeing how the Eagles make use of the wild cat and other creative plays with michael vick lining up with McNabb.

[G Richards]

Lot of strong feelings over here on this. Vikings/Bears/Packers - big rivalry. It's something you just don't do.

[WaltonRed]

He's a low life.

I'm a cheesehead and to do this tarnishes all he did with us.

[Rex Banner]

He's looking pretty old, it's a bit of a joke now retiring and then coming back a couple of weeks later what is he a boxer.
It's smacking a bit of desperation he obviously can't let it go, his life must be really boring without football.

[WaltonRed]

He's a recovering alcoholic isnt he?

He's probably worried if he has nothing to get up for he might go back to his old ways.

[odris]

Everytime i think of Brett Favre i think of Dennis Quaid.

[neko]

Originally Posted by WaltonRed

He's a recovering alcoholic isnt he?

He's probably worried if he has nothing to get up for he might go back to his old ways.

yeah - it's not like he has two kids and a wife who had cancer to spend time with.

little known fact - favre's middle name is lorenzo.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by WaltonRed

Vikings arent the Packers biggest rivals are they I thought it was the Bears?

As for Brett, not suprised but I still cant believe he's come back...again.

Correct. Bears Vs Packers is akin to Liverpool Vs Man Utd, two cities close (ish) to one another, with them both being highly successful. The Packers have 12 league championships (9 before the era of the Super Bowl) and the Bears have 9 (8 before the era of the Super Bowl).

[WaltonRed]

Originally Posted by neko

yeah - it's not like he has two kids and a wife who had cancer to spend time with.

little known fact - favre's middle name is lorenzo.

If having a family kept people off the booze then there would be no alcholics would there.

Originally Posted by Dirk

Correct. Bears Vs Packers is akin to Liverpool Vs Man Utd, two cities close (ish) to one another, with them both being highly successful. The Packers have 12 league championships (9 before the era of the Super Bowl) and the Bears have 9 (8 before the era of the Super Bowl).

I knew I was right, as a Cheesehead that would of been woeful had I gotten it wrong.

[neko]

Originally Posted by Dirk

Correct. Bears Vs Packers is akin to Liverpool Vs Man Utd, two cities close (ish) to one another, with them both being highly successful. The Packers have 12 league championships (9 before the era of the Super Bowl) and the Bears have 9 (8 before the era of the Super Bowl).

i beg to disagree with that.

firstly, my geographical inclination compels me to point out that green bay is almost exactly the same distance to minneapolis as chicago.

secondly, in the NFL you have division rivals, of which minnesota, detroit, chicago and green bay have always shared. for example, being a cowboys fan, i've always hated the giants, eagles and redskins in equal measure (the redskins shade it because of joe theismann).

currently, i don't think the bears are more of a threat to the packers than the vikings, so it stands to reason that they would be the biggest rivals....besides, they wear purple uniforms.

[WaltonRed]

Illinois has a major rivalry with Wisconsin and thats were it comes from.

Packers biggest rivals are the Bears.

[neko]

they could use an update on their uniforms and logo.

looks like a big gay guy at halloween....

[RedKnight]

Shoulda done an Elway.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by neko

i beg to disagree with that.

firstly, my geographical inclination compels me to point out that green bay is almost exactly the same distance to minneapolis as chicago.

secondly, in the NFL you have division rivals, of which minnesota, detroit, chicago and green bay have always shared. for example, being a cowboys fan, i've always hated the giants, eagles and redskins in equal measure (the redskins shade it because of joe theismann).

currently, i don't think the bears are more of a threat to the packers than the vikings, so it stands to reason that they would be the biggest rivals....besides, they wear purple uniforms.

Of course Minnesota are rivals with Green Bay but Chicago is "the one".

The Bears-Packers rivalry is a sports rivalry between two professional American football teams in the National Football League(NFL), the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The two clubs have won a combined 21 NFL Championships (including 4 Super Bowls) and have 48 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The rivalry began in 1921 and has grown to be the league's longest rivalry with 177 regular season and post season matches. With both clubs a part of the NFC North division, they will play each other twice each regular season.

Chicago currently leads the all-time series 91-80-6.


Bears–Packers rivalry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Green Bay Packers have won twelve league championships (more than any other team in the NFL) including nine NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era and three Super Bowl victories in 1967 (Super Bowl I), 1968 (Super Bowl II) and 1997 (Super Bowl XXXI). The team has a fierce rivalry with the Chicago Bears, whom they have played in over 170 games. The Packers also share a historic rivalry with the Minnesota Vikings, who reside in the NFC North along with the Packers, and the Dallas Cowboys who have historically been known as the Packers largest playoff rivals after the Packers defeated them in the famous Ice Bowl.[3]

Green Bay Packers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[neko]

say what you will about ol' brett, but he surgically destroyed the packers last night.

personal motivation had something to do with it, but he was slinging the ball around just like he used too...and without the stupid mistakes.

the offensive line kept him ridiculously well protected, which would allow anyone to have a good game, but you could see the velocity and accuracy was still there.

hate to say it, but look out for the vikings in the playoffs.

still like aaron rodgers though - green bay did the right thing.

[Catch22]

You want to win in the playoffs: keep the ratio of interceptions to attempts as low as possible.

Brett does the opposite.

Minnesota lose a close playoff game as he valiantly and courageously throws another pick

[RedKnight]

Scriptwriter couldn't have written that better for Favre last night. Only player in history to win against all 32 teams too.