Brett Favre is quite possibly the most indecisive man on the planet.
Retired. Unretired. Retired. Unretired. Over the past few years, Favre has wavered and changed his mind about playing football more than a teenage girl changes clothes in preparation for a first date.
First there were the decisions about coming back to the Packers. Then there was last year's mess that ended his run in Green Bay before unretiring, causing a quarterback controversy that prompted a trade to the New York Jets. After leading Gang Green to an 8-3 start, Favre threw just 2 touchdown passes to 9 interceptions over the last five weeks of the 2008 season as the Jets floundered to a 9-7 finish, and for a while, it seemed that the legendary career of a cannon-armed gunslinging future Hall of Fame QB seemed to have run its course.
Appearing to age a year each week, Favre's energy looked depleted as he realized he was nearing his final professional pass. We thought we'd finally seen the end of it, that our last memory of Brett would be the crushing hit he sustained in an attempted lateral to Jerricho Cotchery. Favre was penalized for an illegal forward pass, and the Jets fell 7 points short to the Miami Dolphins. Alas, just weeks after telling media that he would not return to football this season and remain retired, Brett Favre flip-flopped once again, signing a two year, $25 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
Favre will take over at QB for Coach Brad Childress, leapfrogging Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson on the depth chart. Favre's arrival jeopardizes Jackson's roster spot, as the Vikings may keep second year QB John David Booty. Whether or not Brett Favre will help Minnesota remains to be seen, but one thing that is becoming increasingly apparent is the shift in perception of the once immortal Packer.Personally, as much as I respect his accomplishments, the sequel of last summer's Michael Jordan act seems a little bit tacky. Don't get me wrong, I was one of the many that bought into the hype last season when "Brett the Jet" was sprawled across the headlines. Likewise, I was one of the many angry Jets fans who watched the season dissolve on the shoulders of number 4. Granted, I'm not a Packer fan, and I don't have the same sense of attachment to Favre as I'm sure some still do in Green Bay. Yet, I can't help but feel that the nostalgia has turned bitter with this latest Favre announcement.
It would be one thing if the Packers were an awful football team when Favre originally decided to call it quits last March. If Brett wanted to leave a rebuilding team that was showing no signs of an immediate turnaround, that would've been justifiable. However, he had just led Green Bay to a 13-3 regular season, and to the verge of the Supe
r Bowl before losing to the Giants on a Favre interception in overtime of the NFC Championship. The timing of his first retirement last year did seem curious, especially when considering that the previous two offseasons when he had considered retirement, the Packers had gone 4-12 and 8-8.At age 39, this year's retirement was at the time less shocking, a retirement from a team to which he held no allegiances, from a disappointing ending to a season of high potential, from a biceps injury that required offseason surgery. As for his return, that comes as less of a shock, and possibly more of an annoyance than anything else. The issue isn't the return itself, or even the second unretirement, though to a degree it is, and those things have grown old quickly. What really sets the sickening tone for this whole story is who he's returning to and his possible intentions for doing so.
For 16 years, Favre could do no wrong in the eyes of Packer fans- or so they thought. Then, the immortal Brett Favre made a mistake. He forgot that football is a business, especially from an ownership standpoint. His boyish charm in his touchdown celebrations on the field apparently translated to boyish self-pity and bitterness off of it.
In 2005, the Packers, knowing that their franchise quarterback was contemplating retirement, took out an insurance policy by the name of Aaron Rodgers. The fact that Rodgers, who was projected by some to be the #1 overall pick that year, fell to 24th in the draft was in itself a gift. Nonetheless, first round picks don't come cheap, Rodgers being no exception. By signing Rodgers to a five year $24.5 million deal, the Packers weren't paying the Cal product to sit on the bench for half a decade, but to be the heir to Favre's throne.
With the media circus surrounding the speculation of a Favre retirement over his final few seasons in Green Bay, the legend, as legendary as he is, clearly fell out of favor with Packers GM Ted Thompson. Though Favre may never admit to it, it seems plain as day that since that fallout, the QB has held a grudge towards Thompson, and wants to get his shots in by playing for the enemy Vikes. Why else would the Packers have put a preventative clause in the trade with the Jets? Remember that clause that would have awarded Green Bay not one, not two, but three first round draft picks should the Jets have felt inclined to trade Favre to Minnesota? Yeah, that clause.
As beloved as Brett Favre was to the franchise, management was ready to move on before the player was. Thus, the fallout, the bitter feelings, et cetera. If there is one truth about professional football (and pro sports in general), it is that the NFL is a business. Period. Favre, the weathered veteran that he is, should know that as well as anybody. The Packers had a business decision on their hands, and chose not to eat the $24.5 million they invested in Aaron Rodgers, at least not without getting a look at what he could do. Even legends can't erase dollar signs, and as sad as it is to see the end of an era, sooner or later there comes a time to move on.Yes, Favre is, was, and always will be a competitor, and I'm sure that was a factor in his decision. I won't for one second doubt that his desire to remain in the game is still strong. But the Vikings were not, by any stretch, the only team in need of an upgrade behind center this offseason (see also: Chicago, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Oakland, Jacksonville, Washington, and those Jets). Brett Favre wanted the farewell parade, the golden boy ending, the big shebang in Green Bay. When he didn't get his red carpet exit, he had a tantrum that has manifested itself into a grudge, which has ultimately resulted in what seems to be a revenge signing with Minnesota, the most immediate threat to his former team.
Ironically, the end result is that this is very, very good for business. The Vikings will undoubtedly net the largest profit ever made on a purple and gold item of clothing. The rivalry between the Packers and Vikings has definitely been upped a few notches, which bodes well for ticket sales, TV ratings and the like.
The sad part is that at this point, we will likely be seeing a Brett Favre that is a mere shadow of the player he once was. While he can't really do anything to tarnish his Hall of Fame numbers, the gunslinger's blatantly subtle vendetta, guns blazing, may be the spark to ignite the fire that will burn the bridge back to the team that made Brett Favre Brett Favre.
