Aaron Rodgers Claims Brett Favre Isn't Returning His Calls

Ever since the day Brett Favre originally "retired", Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been in quite the pressure cooker. While his team did indeed finish the season 6-10, Rodgers played quite well. He also got to show his toughness by playing through a potentially nasty shoulder injury.

Rodgers vacationed for a time after the season ended, but has been in Tampa this week for Super Bowl festivities. Earlier in the week, he stopped by a radio show co-hosted by Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin. Instead of begging for a tryout with the Cowboys, Rodgers sat down with Irvin and Kevin Kiley to talk about the season. Oh, and Brett Favre.

It was there that Rodgers, who didn't talk much about Favre during the season, opened up perhaps more than anyone figured he would.

He claims he has not spoken to Favre in over a year. Seriously. Read the transcript.

MI: Wait, wai, wai, wait. When you were playing together, how much speaking did he do with you.

AR: I mean, it was me and him. The last year, '07, we had no other quarterback on the roster, it was me and him, you know, we'd see each other every day, jog around with each other every day, you know he knew how I felt about him, that I had the utmost amount of respect for him, you know...and to not have talked to him in over a year? That's disappointing.

MI: Through all of this, going back and forth, putting you in the position that you were in – and it was a tough position – it was a tough position because now you're sitting having to respect him for what he has done, dealing with it, and let's just get real here that the pain of him not calling, or talking, or saying 'this is what's happening, this is what's going on'...after all of that, he still hasn't talked to you?

Pause...

AR: No.

(A few seconds later)

MI: Why will you not reach out to him?

AR: Oh, I did. I did.

MI: You called him and he didn't call you back?

AR: Yep.

It's one thing for Rodgers to say they haven't spoken, but also that he hasn't exactly been trying to get a hold of the guy. That happens. It would be hard to blame Favre for that.

That's not what Rodgers is claiming, though.

While it was odd to hear of Rodgers talking so frankly and openly, it's still weird to think of Brett Favre as being potentially a bit of a, well, jerk.

There may come a day where Favre can come back to Wisconsin and be cheered like a retired hero, but that day is not coming anytime soon, in all likelihood. Packer fans did not necessarily take well to how he treated the organization after he mishandled his "comeback". For the most part, Rodgers was treated well in 2008, and by all accounts, he treated the fans and his teammates very well. It was the start to what should be a wonderful tenure for him in Green Bay.

Too bad his predecessor hasn't handled things a little better.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-30-2009 @ 2:44PM

Armando Martinez said...

I think I have figured it out - Back when Favre (or is it FaRVe?) was good for something, people probably overlooked that fact that for all his talent, grit, blah, blah, blah, he was a jerk. Now that his skills have deteriorated, his character (or lack thereof...) shows through.

1-30-2009 @ 3:06PM

John said...

First of all - maybe Brett just doesn't like Aaron. After all, I didn't hear Aaron speak up last July that he'd love to be Brett's backup another year. Maybe Brett knows that the reason he got booted out of Green Bay was because Aaron gave the head shed an altimatum - "make me the starter or I leave the end of the season". Maybe it's Aaron that is the snotty little jerk! But you'd never hear these know-it-all reporters tell you that.

1-30-2009 @ 5:51PM

tyronefl1 said...

John, what are you talking about? Favre retired and then tried to come back. Rodgers did not have to make any kind of demands.

1-30-2009 @ 3:41PM

weston said...

I'm guessing the writer of this article is not a Packer fan. Packer fans are still bitter about what happened with Favre. I believe there were a lot more fans following the Jets about halfway through the season than the Packers because just to watch Brett play. He would easily be welcomed back into GB anytime. If you ever come to WI he is looked at like a God there. TT wanted Favre out. How good would that have made TT look to draft Rodgers and never use him?

1-30-2009 @ 3:59PM

Tammy said...

Farve may have realized he made the biggest blunder of his careen and should have gone out quietly rather than support Aaron.

MikeHoll said...

Minnesota Mike says since we have asked Brett not to speak to any Packers now that he will be a Viking. Moreover, we will be retiring his number and he will go into the Hall of Fame wearing purple.

1-30-2009 @ 10:11PM

Redskins0492 said...

Wow DK45. Can you say anything more random?

1-31-2009 @ 4:06AM

YouFaceTheTick said...

Wait, this made you think Favre is a jerk? The constant "I might retire" dance wasn't an a-hole move all these years? The retiring and unretiring didn't convince you? not calling someone back...that makes him a jerk? Right.

1-31-2009 @ 4:36PM

csilverx1 said...

Maybe,all of this reading motive into bretts non-response could be as insignificant as not wanting to associate with packer personnel while still a jets quarterback. Everyone read so much into his contact with a former packers assistant on the vikings that he was not even allowed to negoiate with them; including, the bizarre agreement that the jets would forgo draft picks if he was traded to them AFTER he became a jet.
Who knows,maybe he does resent aaron replacing him,so what? The PACKERS WERE HIS FIRST LOVE AND THEY TOSSED HIM ASIDE. HE PROBABLY JUST WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD. He also has a couple of new teammates that have become disloyal to him even though he's given his all. With his family obligations, getting older almost 40; his newly discovered shoulder/arm injury,possible retirement,contemplating if he will consider a return to the jets with a new coaching philosophy; the uninspiring talent of receivers on the jets; all might be occuping his mindset right now. lets not read something into this that might not even be on his agenda.

2-01-2009 @ 8:00AM

plateauvalley said...

One game said it all about Brett: Superbowl with batchup with THE KING... John Elway!!!!!!!

Two fine quarterbacks. ONE WINNER!!!!!!

2-01-2009 @ 4:41PM

roces145 said...

As a long time packer fan we blindly followed favre. living in wisconsin ive been hearing since we drafted rodgers that favre would not help him, would not give him advice and was not friendly with him we heard little bits here and there on how he did this. He is a hero but we overlooked his character for so long and now it comes out a little bit at a time. I moved on and favre should of handled this better. Would your boss allow you to do this at your job no matter how good at your job you were? We all love favre but he was not the great mentor you favreites keep talking about he cared about the game not everyone else that he didn't see worth it.

2-03-2009 @ 5:03PM

bill preece said...

I`m an English fan of the Green Bay Packers and have to say I cannot believe some of the comments I read from Packer fans about Favre. He underhandedly tried to join the Vikings. The Vikings for God sake !!!! In England we have to teams Liverpool and Manchester United who hate each other. I see Favres disloyalty at trying to do a deal with the vikings like a Liverpool player signing for United....unthinkable !!!
He WAS a great in my eyes, but his treachory is totally unforgivable.
He`s gone folks.....get over it !

2-05-2009 @ 3:37PM

wmkingsman said...

That comment about John Elway--that's too funny. Thompson and McCarthy both told Favre that he wasn't wanted-get out,and don't let the door hit you in the rear out. He doesn't HAVE to like Aaron, and maybe they were never friends, to begin with.

2-06-2009 @ 6:32PM

Dancing Steve said...

Brett is just that kind of guy who can go off into his own world and wants to be left alone. Then all of a sudden he snaps out of it and starts talking to people. He is in that mid life crisis. Talking to anyone in Green Bay would have to be difficult. For him to move on he literally has to divorce himself of anything having to do with the Packers and get on with his life.

2-08-2009 @ 4:55PM

cranium07 said...

aaron who? is that the guy who was given a great opportunity?a qb that never played a whole game in the nfl,had an illustrious history plagued by
over twenty injuries since college,then given a huge contract like five games into this season,the guy that earned his position in a shootout with the guy who brought this team back from pure shi-,saved them from bankruptcy,turned the losingest into the winningest?oh yeah he didnt have the shoot out and the other guy wasnt allowed to play in the same division. wake up wisconsin,you have been hosed by ted and fat mike,a new direction??? yeah,straight to the bottom,they had the crew but not the captain,but also new he had too much power there,that he earned.aaron rodgers earned shi-,the truth is favre told them two liars months before ,that he wanted to play,that is the real truth.they hated him,20 million to quit,only a true class act would actually play for less,they still fear him,one year ,you people kill me.this team was nothing,dirt,sucked,i know i was a forty year fan favre saved my life as a packer fan,im just honest,like we used to be,he will return.

2-08-2009 @ 5:21PM

doesthis writer remember young and montana?this is football,not a soap opera,who really cares?are we that pathetic.brett favre is pure class,i like the way big ben roethlisberger put it."i am friends with aaron and like him,but this is brett favre!,he can do whatever he wants,aaron should sit until he is better",same said by romo,
etc,etc,the retirement shit was pushed by fat mike and ted dickhead.it was the best lie ever in sports. favre said it,they did not tell the truth,but he is a man and would not say more.
think cheeseheads!!! twenty million to retire,no vikings,etc,etc. ie youre too good and we are scared,we will pay you to 20 million to avoid facing you,you can not play awith a team we might face because you will bury us,use youre heads,6 tds against arizona,first victory against titans,finally jets beat new england,coverage breaksdown,defense runs out of gas ,he goes from a fourth mvp to ,he sucks,hes toast,its all favres fault,then that piece of shit teammate thomas jones ,who is just plain
shit,scored one td in first season with jets,starts to backstab a legend?kerry blown coverage rhodes?favre has four seconds you win,plain and simple. chad they cried ,he throws five picks in first round,delhomme throws six,six !!! i like jack alot but six? he doesnt suck. and to all those who say things like brett favre was never great,i would guess that you are
dumber looking than you sound,or inbred.listen to the best,the greatest of all time even ali was a favre fan,gretzky,mcenroe,armstrong,mariucci,gruden,holmgren,etc,etc. man up,im from new jersey and i can admit it,toughest ever,ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

2-11-2009 @ 1:07PM

Mike Beer said...

I ALWAYS HAVE, AND ALWAYS WILL, LOVE THE GREEN BAY PACKERS, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE WINNERS WITH MURPHY, THOMPSON, AND MCCARTHY IN CHARGE. THEY HAD THE GREATEST QB THEY EVER HAD, AND I FULLY REMEMBER BART STARR, BUT THEY KICKED HIS BUTT OUT THE DOOR. THEY HAVE TO GO.......

2-17-2009 @ 9:10AM

LORI said...

I WILL ALWAYS LOVE
BRET FAVRE. HE WILL ALWAYS HAVE
A PLACE IN MY HEART. HE WILL
ALWAYS BE A GREEN BAY PACKER.
I HOPE HE WILL BE HAPPY NOT
PLAYING FOOTBALL. PEACE AND LOVE.