Favre, Packers at Impasse
It officially is standoff time between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.
The retired quarterback and his agent, Bus Cook, asked the Packers in a letter delivered Friday to release him.
The Packers are refusing, with team officials telling media outlets that Favre is welcome to return if he wishes as a backup to newly appointed starter Aaron Rodgers.
How did Favre let it get to this point?
He was one of the league's most valuable players last season for a team that was a step away from the Super Bowl. If he hadn't announced his retirement, he could be gearing up for a possible Super Bowl season.
But he's the one who gave a tearful farewell, saying he knew he still could play the game but he didn't want to any longer. According to several reports, the Packers remained willing in late March to welcome Favre back as their starter, but Favre backed out of a tentative agreement to rescind his retirement soon after announcing it.
Now the Packers are ready to move on with Rodgers as their starter and Favre, because he's under contract, has few options. He can't force the Packers to trade or release him. If he doesn't want to serve as a backup, he can remain in retirement. If he wants to come back, it apparently will have to be on the Packers' terms.
By Mark Maske |
July 12, 2008; 6:33 PM ET
| Category:
Packers
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Posted by: M. Jordan | July 12, 2008 6:48 PM
Hey, that was a great idea M. Jordan.
Seriously, Favre had his chance.
The Packers asked him prior to the draft, he declined, they went out and drafted Braum out of Louisville, and are going w/ Aaron Rodgers.
He and his agent expect the Packers to cut someone else making some money to fit under the salary cap?
Brett you had a great career, but you blew it, you have no leverage, but the Pack should remain firm.
Farve, needs to take a huge pay cut, go to a contender and be a backup for Brady, Manning, Romo [I didn't just type that did I?], Brees etc.
This would
a.not destroy the salary cap of the team
b.permit him to be healthy
c. permit him to be w/ a contender
d. save Manning for example some throws during the week, so he is sharper during the weeks.
But Farve's ego will probably not permit this.
Please, don't go to Dallas, Brett.
Posted by: RedskinRay1 | July 12, 2008 10:38 PM
Just more proof that the NFL is nothing but modern day indentured servitude. Yay for people owning another's rights?
Posted by: Anonymous | July 13, 2008 5:08 PM
Indentured servitude?
Please ! He told the world he was retiring. The team gave him a chance to change his mind. He didn't;then he did or maybe didn't. Brett, it's over ! If you wanted to play football, then you should have never said you were retiring.
The team is right. Also, whule some Packer fans MAY not realize it, but the PAckers existed BEFORE Favre and they will AFTER him.
Posted by: jmsbh | July 13, 2008 6:27 PM
If I were Favre, I'd call the Packers bluff and come back and rejoin the team as the highest paid backup in the history of the NFL and finish out my contract.
Want to pay me $39M over the next 3 years (or whatever it is)to stand on the sidelines and hold a clip board...sure why not?
Best case scenario...the new kid gets roughed up and gets eventually gets pulled and/or injured and Favre gets put on the field.
Worse case scenario...the new kid does great (highly unlikely), Favre stays on the sidelines and tarnishes everything that he has built in Packerland.
Ah hell, I don't know....talk about a highly publicized game of chicken.
Posted by: Status Quo deez | July 14, 2008 7:26 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Perhaps he could play minor league baseball for a few seasons...