As I've said on more than one occasion, Favre burned his legacy, we didn't take it from him. Just exactly when enough was burned is different for different people, so their likelihood for unilateral (if ever) forgiveness is different. For me, after his failed attempt to protect Sherman in 2005, the "what are they going to do, cut me?" in 2006, the "trade me" and backpedaling in 2007 (along with the dead eyed pressers that showed Favre had little inspiration for the 2007 season and was looking simply for his personal records), it was actually in 2009 BEFORE even a hint of signing with the Vikings. During an interview after the Jet season, Favre was asked point blank what was the epicenter of his "mistrust" (i.e. hate) of TT sprang from and Favre said, out of his own mouth, it was when TT drafted two QB's and "closed the door on me". For me that was it.
During The Divorce, our intrepid journalists made hints and allegations that "if you only you knew what was actually going on, what the team was doing to poor Favre, you'd be on his side". Well, between the Greta interviews and the above referenced interview, all that Favre, HIMSELF, said was that he couldn't be the de facto GM of the team. If that was what was so dastardly, it shows just how biased the journalists were. And the denial to sign off on the draft in retirement left me no option but to put the vast majority, if not all, the blame for the pain on Favre. That was when I hated Favre and all that he did the prior three years to undermine the team. The signing with the Vikings to stick it to the team was just the cherry on top.
I had no problem recognizing Favre's upside and his downside and embrace them both. Recognize the type of hall of famer we had on our hands, not a top tier guy, but certainly better than Blair Kiel rolled Randy Wright by a long shot. But I also recognized the years it took to finally "get it", I recognized that QB'ing wasn't the biggest problem the Packers had in the Dark Years, I recognized that the Packers had quality QB'ing in the chamber behind Favre, I recognized all the other people - from the front office on down - who brought the Packers up from the Dark Years. And I recognized all the opportunities the Packers gave Favre before they had reason to other than potential. But his behaviors the last three years with the team, and the three years after, culminating in that 2009 statement about Favre's "mistrust" could not be offset by ANYTHING Favre had done up to that point.
At the end of the day, it's up to Favre to rebuild any bridges. The Packers, and the fans, were here before Favre and we're hear after Favre. He was always just a PART of the history, and his legacy SUBORDINATE to it. He decided he was above the team, and he threw away his legacy in trying get revenge against it. Not as a subsidiary happenstance in continuing a career, but a plotted and intentional set of actions against the team. We've had plenty of former players play against the team, and I'd hope they'd give their all for their new team. But to specifically plot revenge, from that draft of two QB's on, goes beyond the pale.
The only people who believe unilateral forgiveness is a must are those who bought the revisionary narrative that began in 1997 that only Favre turned the team around. That Favre was justified in his belief that he was bigger than the team. Even with all the evidence at hand proving the opposite - Favre ignominious exit after yet another playoff killshot and the Packers being the best team in the league the last three years combined - they still cling to the fallacious narrative. But what is a "legend"? Paul Bunyon is a legend. King Arthur is a legend. Legends are fabrications based loosely on a few facts or none at all. And that was Favre, a Foutsian/Moonian HoF'er that was distorted out of all proportion as the greatest QB ever - Montana rolled in Unitas rolled in Brady. But even if that WERE true, he would never be bigger than Lambeau and Hutson and Starr and Taylor and White and Rodgers and everyone else who was a part of the Packer franchise. But the adoring sheep who bought the narrative, the journalists who supported the narrative (and fell victim to themselves, losing their objectivity), and the national media led Favre to believe that he was invulnerable. And at the end of the day it's the FANS who decide if Favre is honorable or not. If the Packers organization try to stuff it down our throat, they're in for a surprise. Without contrition on Favre's part - his attempt at rebuilding the bridge - I think the reaction at any number retirement is going to be brutal.