Now Retired, Maybe Favre Can Grow Up

Legendary quarterback Brett Favre announced his retirement (again) on Wednesday, (maybe) ending an illustrious 18-year career. There's no doubt that Favre, the all-time record-holder in pass completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, interceptions, and wins (among other things), is going to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame come 2014. You'd have to be clinically insane to deny this truth.

By now, you've already read my colleague Jay Mariotti's awesome column on Favre. While Jay is spot-on in his assessment of Favre's career, Favre himself has shown that he is far from perfect.

Favre's contentious departure from Green Bay last summer left a bad taste in a lot of fans' mouths. It left Packer supporters with the choice of supporting Favre or supporting the Packers. In their view, there was no middle ground. After 17 years, Favre was an icon, and many Packer fans couldn't stand the thought of him being in the wrong about anything.

The reality is that both Favre and Packers general manager Ted Thompson were in the wrong. Thompson stubbornly insisted that Aaron Rodgers was his starting quarterback, even though a future Hall of Famer who had just led the Packers to the NFC Championship Game said he wanted to play again. This is illogical on many levels, even though Thompson was not proven wrong in the end. Aaron Rodgers actually outplayed Favre this season, despite a leaky offensive line, struggling running game, bad defense, worse special teams, and a bad throwing shoulder.

Favre, meanwhile, has proven that he just can't let things go.

Favre told (ESPN's Ed) Werder about his bitterness during a one-hour interview Werder conducted a week after the Jets' season ended.

Werder (wrote) in an e-mail Wednesday evening about the timing of the publication of Favre's comments.

"Those comments were made on the record a week after the season with him knowing they would be published," Werder said. "They were actually part of a different project initially, a magazine and Web site feature I had been working on about his final year."

Werder told ESPNews ... "I think this was a very personal sense of animosity he felt toward one person in the Green Bay organization, and that was Green Bay GM Ted Thompson."

"His first move when he took over the management of the franchise was not to get Brett Favre more help on offense, but to draft his successor, Aaron Rodgers, with the very first pick. I don't think Brett really ever forgave him for that."

If you'd like, feel free to hold out hope Ed Werder is lying again. I tend to think he's telling the truth on this one.

I understand that Favre was upset with Thompson over the way things were handled last year. It's hard to say I agree, but I understand it.

(Frankly, the Packers were probably sick and tired of getting jerked around by Favre every offseason, and they probably wanted to either prepare for another season with Favre or to move on without him. I don't think Thompson wanted to get rid of Favre, but I also think he knew he couldn't leave Rodgers on the bench forever, especially with how he played in that game at Dallas in November 2007.)

However, if Favre was truly still upset over the Packers' decision to draft Rodgers in the first round back in 2005, then his bitterness isn't even based on something reasonable. It's based on the childish notion that the only thing that mattered was the end of Favre's career.

Whether you like it or not, Aaron Rodgers (right) was one of the league's best quarterbacks in 2008. He did it despite a mountain of adversity, and he did it in his first year as a starter. Picking in the bottom third of the first round in 2005, the Packers had the chance to take a player who some thought would go first overall. Asking a general manager to pass up on this opportunity is just foolish. When you consider that Thompson took over a team with no depth, a gaggle of overpaid players, and a bad salary-cap situation (thanks to the previous general manager, Mike Sherman), it's downright stupid to suggest that Rodgers wasn't a fair selection.

Packer fans should be proud of themselves. The support they gave Rodgers from the first preseason game onward was impressive, and I think they understand that he has a chance to cement his own legacy in this league. Thompson should be happy about taking Rodgers, and he should be hopeful about this team's future with such a fine young quarterback leading the way.

Favre also has a lot to be proud of. He was an iconic figure for an iconic franchise for many, many years. He won a Super Bowl, never missed a start, and set a ton of records that may or may not be broken someday.

It's my genuine hope that Favre and Thompson can sit down like adults and work out their differences, and that it happens much sooner than later. Neither of them handled things very well last summer, and while their egos may have been bruised, they should be ashamed for leaving Packer fans in such a difficult position all year long.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-12-2009 @ 1:58PM

Bob said...

I think putting both yours and Mariotti's articles together sums up Favre very well. Jay is right to heap praise on Brett's accomplishments ON the field, but the ending isn't complete without making an allowance for Ted Thompson's decisions regarding the TEAM's future direction. Any manager worth a hoot would've brought in a young QB to start training, given Favre's age. You don't wait until your Hall of Famer says he's done, so you're stuck starting a fresh draftee immediately. And I applaud Green Bay for sticking to their guns regarding starting Rodgers--Favre told them he was done, and they moved on, as they should. You can't expect them to keep changing strategy every time Favre waffles.

2-12-2009 @ 2:43PM

ryan said...

Im soooo over Favre. But whose gonna play qb for jets next year? http://fanzak.com/fzrants/Good_luck_Jets_fans

2-16-2009 @ 12:11PM

tom landry reincarnated said...

Ed Gein was a Packers fan!!

ed344mu said...

Sometimes I think Favre thought he was the Green Bay Packers. He seemed to be more and more petulant every year. His so-called "pep talk" to the Jets before their final game was really puzzling. It is time he stepped down.

2-12-2009 @ 3:32PM

docn187 said...

Never missed a game. Lives a clean, family lifestyle. No Drugs. Doesnt beat his wife, shoot himself or hold out for more money. Mega star on the field who played this last year for the love of the game. Anyone writing negative about Brett Favre, in my book, is LOST and simply trying to sell papers (or their own blog or website). This IS a GREAT athlete akin to Cal Ripken (also an ironman and also someone criticized similarly - beyond belief).... Exaclty what DOES someone need to do as a pro athlete to get the respect they deserve? Pennington was an absolute saint in NY - took paycuts, took the criticism for playing hurt / poorly, was beaten to the ground with a bad O line for years - and never get one iota of respect or praise for the above... this is such a joke. One of the all time best GAMERS in ANY sport. The rest - its just to sell columns.

2-16-2009 @ 7:53PM

K_deboth said...

No Drugs? Obviousely you haven't been following Favre for very long. He was addicted to Vicodin back in '97. Take it from a true packer fan, Favre is possibly the greatest player in franchise history, but he did ruin his legacy in the manner that he left, and I for one am happy he's gone.

2-12-2009 @ 4:23PM

Odie said...

I don't get the media and fan backlash on Favre, especially when he is giving you all what you want, something to write and read about. Some of you act like Favre personally showed up at your door, drank all your beer and kicked your dog.
Was his constant retiring talk tiresome? Yes
Was he acting almost childish in his dealing with the Packers? Probably.
All in all, the guy had a career like no other. Is he the best ever, no, but I'm sure he is in many people's top ten.
We all want our sports icons to go out at their peak with dignity and class, but we also know that it rarely happens. Years from now when he is hopefully still retired, no one will even be discussing his one year in NY, just like no one cares about Jordan's time with the Wizards, Montana with the Chiefs, Namath with the Rams, and countless other great players who had trouble hanging it up when they probably should have.
As a Bears fan who lived in Brett Favre's football purgatory for just over a decade, I congratulate him on a HOF career.

2-12-2009 @ 4:32PM

Kevin Kadrmas said...

You hit the nail on the head! He had a huge press conference to go in front of all the packer fans in the nation and told us he didn't have the energy to prepare for another season. We cried, he cried, it was perfect! Three months later... I'm BACK!!! What? He's the starting QB? But, But I Brett Freckin Favre! I will always think good of BF and what he did in WI. But will also remember how he treated the fans and the team we love when he left.

2-13-2009 @ 8:51AM

LA26 said...

It's nice you want to draft a replacement for Farve but why do it 2-3 years premature.

If Mangini wasn't fired I believe Brett would've stayed for another year because he wouldn't have had to learn another brand new offense.With Rex Ryan things would've went the way of the season just past with maybe a better defense if they kept the current playbook.

Point blank Brett was replaced in GB before they sought to support there team in GB which is the fault of management.Lets say they draft a year or two later...What's to say that Green Bay doesn't get Joe Flaco for example?Just because someone retires doesn't mean he can't be brought in on a consultant basis to TEACH the rookie.

The PROBLEM with all of you "journalist" and "bloggers" is that Farve has this enigma about him that he can't do wrong, and when he shows he's human majority of yall hawk over him like vultures.

2-13-2009 @ 6:20PM

John said...

I agree with you, Odie. Brett gave his all every game of every week of every year of his career. That is more than any other player can say. And why is it that all the reporters and bloggers fail to remember that immediately after the 2007 season, Favre's manager stated that Brett did not feel welcome by TT and MM. that was Favre's manager that said that, not Favre. I think Ted Thompson wanted Favre gone long before he announced his retirement. And that is why there is lingering resentment!

2-15-2009 @ 8:25PM

roces145 said...

If favre was GM this wouldn't have happened he would of signed randy moss and we would of won 3 more super bowls lol. This was time to move on with rodgers he is a good quaterback and only going to get better. in a few years after the 3-4 d gets going look for another super bowl

2-16-2009 @ 12:20PM

barham619 said...

Man, I feel for you! Favre is UNDOUBTEDLY the most overrated player in the ENTIRE history of the NFL. Is he great (hopefully was he great)? Yes. Does he belong in the Hall someday? Yes, but I can think of 20 QB's that were better, and one played for the Packers. Some played 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Favre thinks the world of Favre. Yes, he DID use drugs. He had to go to rehab because of it. You're looking through Favre colored glasses. You know nothing of his family and/or personal life either. Life is a lot easier when you have millions of dollars also. Also, he never missed a game because he was concerned about the record. Even when it hurt the team he started and played, AND the team lost the game. Don't compare him to Ripken. There is no comparison. Ripken had the dignity and grace to take HIMSELF out of the game, WHILE STILL AN EVERYDAY PLAYER, because he did not want to hurt his team for the sake of a record (his words). Favre does not possess this level of class. You need to wake up!!!!

2-16-2009 @ 12:24PM

"Dreaming...I must be dreaming..." For some reason I can't get the song out of my head. The Pack is a dying franchise. I not only look for them NOT to be in the S.B. in 3 years, I look for them to be in a city deserving of an NFL franchise.