Bucs, Jets Vie for Favre
So, picking up where we left off before the blog outage...
The rumblings early Tuesday that the Packers might trade Brett Favre to Minnesota were misguided, at least for now. The Packers still appear adamant they won't deal the quarterback to a fellow NFC North team. Tampa always was the most likely landing spot for Favre, and it still is. But the New York Jets are in the running, too.
The problem was getting Favre on board with a deal to either team. But it now appears that he won't object to either potential destination.
It had appeared that he'd wanted to play in Minnesota and had been sticking to that. But if the Packers won't budge, Favre might be accepting that if he's going to play this season, it will have to be in Tampa or New York.
In Tampa, he would inherit a team that reached the playoffs last season. He would be playing for Jon Gruden, a former Packers assistant. He would be in a West Coast offensive system.
In New York, he could be "Broadway Brett." It would be the second coming of Joe Namath. Fitting into the offense might be tougher, and Favre has no connection to Coach Eric Mangini. But there is history--sort of--with the franchise. When former Packers general manager Ron Wolf was in the Jets' front office, he pushed for the club to draft Favre. Favre was taken by the Atlanta Falcons instead, but one season into his NFL career Wolf had moved to Green Bay and traded for Favre.
For Favre, playing for Tampa or the Jets would not be the perfect setup that playing for the Vikings would be. The Vikings are Super Bowl-ready with an imposing defense, a superb offensive line, a dynamic tailback in Adrian Peterson and a coaching staff full of close associates. Favre might believe that Peterson could carry him to an end-of-career Super Bowl title or two the way that Terrell Davis once did for John Elway. Plus, he could try to beat the Packers twice per season along the way. But if the choice is play for the Buccaneers or Jets or don't play at all, you have to think Favre will play in Tampa or New York. Gruden, in particular, is a pretty decent salesman, and the Bucs do host the Packers this season on Sept. 28.
A final thought on Favre and the Packers all but saying their goodbyes.... What more did Favre want to hear from the Packers? The way both Favre and Coach Mike McCarthy told it, McCarthy essentially told Favre that the team was willing to let bygones be bygones and permit Favre to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job. Favre apparently didn't have a problem being involved in a quarterback competition. But he couldn't get over the way the Packers had treated him in recent months. So the Packers could get over Favre abruptly retiring and then suddenly un-retiring, but Favre couldn't get over his personal grudge?
It's been asked why Favre showed up in Green Bay at all if he wasn't going to tell McCarthy he was ready and committed to playing for the Packers. Perhaps the answer is: The road to Minnesota (or anywhere else in the league) went through Green Bay. Once the NFL announced Sunday that Favre was being reinstated Monday, he had little choice but to report to the Packers if he was going to resume his playing career. A trade appears to be coming, but probably not to the team that Favre wanted.
By Mark Maske |
August 6, 2008; 3:28 PM ET
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Posted by: Bruce K | August 6, 2008 6:35 PM
I will always be a Packer fan however, I will not miss watching a game that Brett Favre plays in. The packers should let Brett go to whatever team he wants to...THEY OWE HIM THAT!! Very bad public relations by the Packers. People have the right to change their minds, if Brett Favre's love for the game is that strong then good for him, play until you can't.
Posted by: Kirk D | August 6, 2008 7:24 PM
It is a sad day in Green Bay when one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time will not be in his green and gold number 4 moving the Packers to the playoffs. Now that Ted Thompson has had his way lets just watch a great football team go down the tubs with a never started NFL game. In all the one I feel sorry for is Rogers because when the team starts going down the fans will blame him. However, the General Manager Mr. Ted Thompson will have all of this on his plate. Maybe if the General Manager and Coach had not had their contracts extended last year this out come would of never happen. A sad day in the history of the Green Bay Packers!
Posted by: Bill | August 6, 2008 7:49 PM
The Packers are right to pass on Brett Favre. He's been an incredible asset to the team - until a couple of months ago. It is his ego that is driving this whole fiasco. He may feel differently towards the Packers in a few months if his decision to return to football turns into a losing season. Ted Thompson may not be the greatest p.r. man, but the guy knows football. I trust him to get the Packers to the Super Bowl, with or without Brett Favre.
Posted by: Steve | August 6, 2008 11:47 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
The heart is being removed from Wisconsin by Doctors Thompson and McCarthy - and it really is beyond FRIDGID there already.
IT QUITE SIMPLY WAS NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY - THE $20M WAS A GREVIOUS AND TRAGIC INSULT TO BRETT - WHAT A SHAME!!!
I have been a packer fan since 1965 and will support Bretts' team - whoever that will be.