Source: Favre 'Can't Stand Green Bay'

According to agent Bus Cook, no one has called Brett Favre to talk him into playing in 2009.

That seems plausible. Last spring, approximately 45 minutes* after announcing his retirement, Favre promptly took it back, forced the Packers to trade him to the Jets, where he looked every bit the 39-year-old, 17-year veteran on the downside of a great career.

New York waived Favre off the retired list last week, which could mean nothing. Or, since this is the ole gunslinger we're talking about, everything. Apparently, Wrangler jeans' favorite spokesperson can also hold a grudge. Via the New York Daily News' Gary Myers:

One NFL source insists Favre can't peacefully retire until he finds a way to get revenge on the Packers. He wants back into the NFC North so he can face the Packers twice. The Bears traded for Jay Cutler and the Lions drafted Matthew Stafford. Hello, Minnesota.

"Favre can't stand Green Bay," the source said. "He wants to play Green Bay and say, 'I told you so.' His bitterness is creating this. I think he's calling Minnesota. I think Minnesota is talking about this as we speak. You haven't heard the end of Favre. No way. He is bionic. As long as somebody will let him in, he will play."

Ah, yes, revenge. Here's the thing: Favre looked like crap last year. I suspect he was just as motivated to prove Packers' general manager Ted Thompson wrong, and, well, it didn't work out.

Not only that, but if Favre is seriously contemplating playing another season, he'll probably need surgery on his torn right biceps. You know, the one that plagued him during the last quarter of 2008 when the Jets, after a 8-3 start, finished with a 9-7 record and missed the playoffs.

Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself here; Favre hasn't suggested he's coming back, his agent hasn't heard from any interested teams, and all we know is that a source says Favre is bitter. But -- and there's always a "but" when talking about Brett -- the Vikings are in the market for a quarterback (even though they traded for Sage Rosenfels this offseason), they play in the NFC North, and Favre is BFFs with with Minnesota offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

Head coach Brad Childress admits that the team will probably talk about Favre, telling the Associated Press "We talk about everything, from what's going on in the United States on the front page today. ... So, yeah, I'm sure we'll talk about that."

Training camp is still three months off and a lot can happen in the interim. Favre might decide that his NFL career is over, or vengeance might get the best of him one more time. If he ends up in Minnesota, there's no guarantee that, at this stage of his career, he'll be an upgrade over Rosenfels -- or Tarvaris Jackson for that matter.

The Vikings are a quarterback away from being a legit Super Bowl contender and adding Favre wouldn't change that. In fact, he'd be a distraction and that's about it. (If you want to see how that movie ends, just look at the Jets.) And a year from now Minnesota will still be looking for their franchise QB.

* Slight exaggeration. It was more like an hour.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

5-02-2009 @ 9:34PM

John said...

You know, the one thing I can't stand in all this it the stupid, moronic people who call themselves reporters. This moron is just as bad as Bruce Ciskie. All these guys can do is bad mouth Favre. It's because they don't have anything else intelligent to write about.

The Vikings, or any other team for that matter, is going to recruit Brett unless there is a benefit in it for the organization. If they think that Brett is better than what they have, then why not have him as their quarterback.

By the way, Ryan, Farve's statistics says he was the fifth most productive quarterback in the NFL last year. Five out of 32 is not bad. And if I remember correctly, your counterparts voted Farve to the Pro Bowl.

5-02-2009 @ 10:05PM

Michael said...

He was the 5th most productive QB last year? Where did you get your stats from? He was 9th in TD passes and 11th in yards. The ONLY 5th place ranking was in completion percentage...65.7%. Completion percentage has nothing to do with production.

However, he was once again #1 in the league in passes completed to DEFENDERS....22 ints.

5-02-2009 @ 9:54PM

Bruce Ciskie said...

John

Your Favreophilic ways are really getting old.

If Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes and 26 interceptions in a season, there would be morons in the cavalcade of NFL reporters who tried to vote him in the Pro Bowl.

Favre is much better than what the Vikings have. Same would be true if he played blindfolded and threw left-handed because his right arm is screwed up.

Favre is also not better than Aaron Rodgers or Jay Cutler. I won't dare make a Matthew Stafford comparison until I've seen Stafford play a few games at this level.

As for your "fifth most productive quarterback in the NFL" comment, completion percentage is the only stat where Favre ranked fifth. He was 21st in passer rating, 22nd in yards per pass, 11th in TD percentage, 31st in interception percentage (better than only Gus Frerotte), and he was 20th and 26th in the key statistical metrics used by Football Outsiders.

So if you want to argue that completion percentage is the ultimate measuring stick of a QB's productivity, have fun. I'll just sit here and laugh, as I typically do when you're posting the same old stuff whenever someone here mentions the name "Brett Favre".

5-02-2009 @ 11:41PM

lazyindiankid4 said...

i agree bruce! brett favre is turning older than my dead grandmother. I hate him as a player of and on the feild. He is a cry baby and hope he never comes back into the NFL. he gets on my nerve these days.

5-03-2009 @ 9:05PM

Let me respond with a couple of points:

1. I don't have Favreophilic ways. I am just tired of reading your articles as if you were writing a paid advertisement for Ted Thompson and Company. Stick to the facts and we will all be happier.
2. I have always believed Green Bay, e.g. Ted Thompson and Mike McCarty did Brett Favre wrong by not letting him come back. But that is my opinion.
3. You have nothing to back up your statement that Aaron Rodgers is a better quarterback than Brett Favre. Favre went 9-7, and we all know he was injured the last five games. Rodgers went 6-10 and two of those wins were with the 0-16 Lions. In my book, Rodgers has a lot to prove before he - or you - can say he is the better quarterback.
4. I have always maintained that Favre will only be back if the management of one of the 32 teams believe he has somthing to offer that they currently don't have.
5. Reality starts September 13th.

5-02-2009 @ 10:30PM

fish said...

The New York Jets were 4-12 before Farve came, no? He improved them to 9-7, with 22 TDs, 22 INTS, and a 66 pct completion rate--not bad for someone you guys seem to hate so much. And why are you guys so shortsighted that you only see what happened at the last part of the season? Sure, he screwed up the last few games, but the rest of the season he was great! It's unfair to judge a QB by the worst series of games he's ever played. As for the Vikings, I would have them either get Brett Favre, or make a trade for the following:
Jeff Garcia
Byron Leftwich
Brady Quinn
Troy Smith
Seneca Wallace
Tyler Thigpen
Rex Grossman

Recap: Brett Farve may be better than you say he is, the Vikings need help at QB, and Sage Rosenfels does not qualify as 'help'.

5-03-2009 @ 4:40AM

bears0492 said...

What the hell kind of list is that? A lot of those people were/are free agents at one point, and only Garcia is a good out of that group. And why would you want the Vikings to have Rex Grossman?

5-03-2009 @ 6:49PM

Mr. Bears, the Bears got to the superbowl with Grossman. And they didn't even have a running game.

5-05-2009 @ 8:00PM

Randy Nazer said...

Rex Grossman!? Are you serious? LOL!!!!!!!!!!

5-02-2009 @ 11:48PM

leoganz said...

Farve will be a Viking next season just to stick to the creeps in Cheeseville..........

5-03-2009 @ 12:03AM

dirtdog02 said...

i really wanna see seneca wallace and thigpen have full seasons under their belts, they are both very productive and explosive players.

5-03-2009 @ 12:14AM

mrbongo850 said...

farve will stick it to the packers when he enters canton as a jet

5-03-2009 @ 12:16AM

PINKY said...

brett brett brett! It is obvious the old timer is a winner. If I were a super bowl contender I would bring Favre as a back up for the playoffs only. He had a good start the last two years, but faded in the end. I think he has about three great games left. Sign him up Singletary. Sign him up Mike.

5-03-2009 @ 7:46AM

ljponejolic said...

lets put the blame where it belongs two years ago the packers were 13 and 3 FAVRE had a super season the outlook looked good for 2008 but ted thompson had to screw it up theres a lot we will never know but you should have let bret have at least the chance to win the big one and not treat him like a piece of crap thanks ted we did it your way and ended up 6 and 10

5-03-2009 @ 8:10AM

Randy said...

I'd like to know who the NFL source is that's saying Brett wants revenge. I think writers should have to reveal them, especially when it's a bullshit story like this one. I'm surprised this article wasn't written by someone with the Associated Press, since the source of the information can't be revealed. Where'd you get your information Mr Wilson and by the way, wasn't Mr Wilson "Dennis the Menace's" buddy?

5-03-2009 @ 10:17AM

Herb Nelson said...

Give it a rest. Sure Brett wants to play and win another super bowl. Every player in the NFL wants the same thing or they shouldn't be playing. Brett will play if someone offers. If not he will stay retired. Leave the man alone. I am a Packer fan an I choose to remember him as a hell of a player and fun to watch. Sure he threw INT's but I watch these other QB's tuck the ball and take a sack and I think what an idot. He could have rolled out, or thrown it away, but no play it safe. It's a game and you can't win playing it safe. You got to go for it.

5-03-2009 @ 12:36PM

KRAMER said...

Favre stinks?! where were the Jets in 2007? where were they last year before he tore his bicep? do you think any other qb coulve played better with a torn bicep, or even played at all? are you kidding me. because like any competitor he doesnt want to hang it up he sucks? i mean im not a favre fan but anybody who says he sucks is ignorant, how retarded can you be? look at what he's done, the guy wasn't around as a starting qb for as long as he has been for no reason, the jets didnt want him because he stunk. what he brings to the table is more than the numbers, he raises the game of everyone around him. look at cb champ bailey doesnt get the picks or passes defended like he use to because teams stay away from him, does he suck because his stats are down? favre has the game put on his shoulders in the end because thats the player he has been. because he throws a pick trying to win the game which is what is expected he sucks? but when he drove down and beat the pats and the titans hes amazing; two weeks later he sucks because it didnt all work out.

5-03-2009 @ 1:13PM

cmtrashman said...

Pls go away you overrated a--s--swipe and take your big F-IN EGO!!! with you.One and I repeat One superbowl in 17 yrs.Hows that make him great.He throws more picks than touchdowns.Leave you a--s--swipe enough already.Go Pats!!!

5-03-2009 @ 1:34PM

Geezer said...

Wow... very disappointing. It appears Brett has forgotten that, if not for the Packers, he would have faded away completely after a few disappointing seasons in Atlanta. It's pretty sad to see him lash out at the team that made his career.

It doesn't help matters that he sucks and is way too old to continue playing.

5-03-2009 @ 1:51PM

iggles7561 said...

Brett Favre should stay retired . He is finished. He would only embarrass himself further if he foolishly decides to play again. He should get over the fact he can't play anymore

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