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Cheesehead
Too much left in his arm to hang up cleats now
By BOB McGINN and TOM SILVERSTEIN
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 31, 2007
OPPOSING VIEWPOINT: Favre should go
Miami - Brett Favre has defied convention since he joined the Green Bay Packers 15 years ago this month, traipsing through the snow in a T-shirt and flip-flops or firing touchdown passes recoiling back from the throw.
Another year, another waiting around to see if Brett Favre will return or not.
Brett Favre - stay or go?
SHOULD FAVRE
RETURN OR RETIRE?
His fans have spoken. After the season-finale against the Bears, we asked whether it should be Brett Favre's finale. Hundreds of fans wrote in their opinion. The overwhelming consensus: Brett, please, please come back. Why wouldn't you come back?
As Favre lies low in Mississippi mulling his decision to play in 2007, most football people at Super Bowl XLI can't imagine him walking away without challenging the actuarial rates for aging quarterbacks.
"I know he's kind of wavering a little bit," said Ron Rivera, defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. "And believe me, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if he retired. But I love him in the game. I think he's a tremendous part of the game."
Rivera and two members of his staff, defensive line coach Don Johnson and linebackers coach Bob Babich, unanimously agreed that Favre could and should play well in '07, which would be his 17th season.
"We have absolutely no doubt in our mind that if he were to play next year we'd be concerned," Babich said. "I don't know how his body feels and all that, but Brett Favre is a playmaker.
"Still. To this day."
Vonnie Holliday, Favre's teammate from 1998-'02 and now a defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, vividly recalls Favre's superb performance Oct. 22 in the Packers' 34-24 victory at Dolphin Stadium.
"The guy probably can play forever," said Holliday, who is working the Super Bowl for a Miami television station. "If he really wanted to he could. He could be one of those 20-year quarterbacks. Against us he was the Brett Favre that I remember running around with that big boyish grin on his face."
In other words, he should stay.
For the second season in a row Favre performed considerably better early in the season than he did later on. His passer rating of 81.3 in the first nine games was followed by 61.0 in the last seven.
Nevertheless, the final game often leaves more of an impression than it should, and Favre was very good in a 26-7 victory over the uninspired Bears Dec. 31 at Soldier Field.
"Obviously, we saw it first hand in the last game," Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said. "Just remarkable. It's remarkable in terms of the things he still can do."
Although Favre posted what easily was the lowest completion mark (56%) of his career, there appears to be no debate about his arm strength.
"He can still throw the ball as well as most of the quarterbacks in the league," said Clyde Powers, director of pro personnel for the Indianapolis Colts. "I think it's his decision on just what he thinks the team is going to do."
On Wednesday, Angelo said it was his opinion that 60% of the evaluation process for quarterbacks is based on intangibles, a view that he said was shared by former Dallas coach Bill Parcells.
But it was the inability to throw the ball that drove Hall of Famers such as Bart Starr, Bob Griese and Terry Bradshaw from the game. Favre, whose intangibles always have been off the charts, has never had arm problems.
"I don't think a lot of people understand that as long as he's making the throws he can still compete," Rivera said. "And he's still making the throws. I'm not sure that he should (retire) because he's still making the plays."
Brian Griese, the Bears' backup quarterback, and Colts defensive line coach John Teerlinck both indicated that Favre still belonged among the top 10 or 12 quarterbacks in the league. Another player, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, said that if Favre's family gives him the go-ahead he shouldn't look back.
Jamie Dukes, an NFL Network analyst who was Favre's starting center for about half of the '94 season, was adamant about Favre being able to play well for three or four more seasons.
"It's silly," said Dukes. "If they put the guys in front of him to protect him and get him a wide receiver, he'll be fine."
But Favre has never wanted to be just "fine." There are a host of significant records within Favre's reach but all he seems to care about is remaining a competitive player on a competitive team.
"Play as long as you can," CBS analyst Phil Simms said earlier this week. "When you think your career is over, try to get one more year out of it. You want to try to give yourself as many memories, as many thoughts to think about when you get done.
"(Favre) played very well at the end of the year, basically for the whole year. He proved to everybody he could guide a team that was not looked upon to be great and still got it done."
By BOB McGINN and TOM SILVERSTEIN
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 31, 2007
OPPOSING VIEWPOINT: Favre should go
Miami - Brett Favre has defied convention since he joined the Green Bay Packers 15 years ago this month, traipsing through the snow in a T-shirt and flip-flops or firing touchdown passes recoiling back from the throw.
Another year, another waiting around to see if Brett Favre will return or not.
Brett Favre - stay or go?
SHOULD FAVRE
RETURN OR RETIRE?
His fans have spoken. After the season-finale against the Bears, we asked whether it should be Brett Favre's finale. Hundreds of fans wrote in their opinion. The overwhelming consensus: Brett, please, please come back. Why wouldn't you come back?
As Favre lies low in Mississippi mulling his decision to play in 2007, most football people at Super Bowl XLI can't imagine him walking away without challenging the actuarial rates for aging quarterbacks.
"I know he's kind of wavering a little bit," said Ron Rivera, defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. "And believe me, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if he retired. But I love him in the game. I think he's a tremendous part of the game."
Rivera and two members of his staff, defensive line coach Don Johnson and linebackers coach Bob Babich, unanimously agreed that Favre could and should play well in '07, which would be his 17th season.
"We have absolutely no doubt in our mind that if he were to play next year we'd be concerned," Babich said. "I don't know how his body feels and all that, but Brett Favre is a playmaker.
"Still. To this day."
Vonnie Holliday, Favre's teammate from 1998-'02 and now a defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, vividly recalls Favre's superb performance Oct. 22 in the Packers' 34-24 victory at Dolphin Stadium.
"The guy probably can play forever," said Holliday, who is working the Super Bowl for a Miami television station. "If he really wanted to he could. He could be one of those 20-year quarterbacks. Against us he was the Brett Favre that I remember running around with that big boyish grin on his face."
In other words, he should stay.
For the second season in a row Favre performed considerably better early in the season than he did later on. His passer rating of 81.3 in the first nine games was followed by 61.0 in the last seven.
Nevertheless, the final game often leaves more of an impression than it should, and Favre was very good in a 26-7 victory over the uninspired Bears Dec. 31 at Soldier Field.
"Obviously, we saw it first hand in the last game," Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said. "Just remarkable. It's remarkable in terms of the things he still can do."
Although Favre posted what easily was the lowest completion mark (56%) of his career, there appears to be no debate about his arm strength.
"He can still throw the ball as well as most of the quarterbacks in the league," said Clyde Powers, director of pro personnel for the Indianapolis Colts. "I think it's his decision on just what he thinks the team is going to do."
On Wednesday, Angelo said it was his opinion that 60% of the evaluation process for quarterbacks is based on intangibles, a view that he said was shared by former Dallas coach Bill Parcells.
But it was the inability to throw the ball that drove Hall of Famers such as Bart Starr, Bob Griese and Terry Bradshaw from the game. Favre, whose intangibles always have been off the charts, has never had arm problems.
"I don't think a lot of people understand that as long as he's making the throws he can still compete," Rivera said. "And he's still making the throws. I'm not sure that he should (retire) because he's still making the plays."
Brian Griese, the Bears' backup quarterback, and Colts defensive line coach John Teerlinck both indicated that Favre still belonged among the top 10 or 12 quarterbacks in the league. Another player, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, said that if Favre's family gives him the go-ahead he shouldn't look back.
Jamie Dukes, an NFL Network analyst who was Favre's starting center for about half of the '94 season, was adamant about Favre being able to play well for three or four more seasons.
"It's silly," said Dukes. "If they put the guys in front of him to protect him and get him a wide receiver, he'll be fine."
But Favre has never wanted to be just "fine." There are a host of significant records within Favre's reach but all he seems to care about is remaining a competitive player on a competitive team.
"Play as long as you can," CBS analyst Phil Simms said earlier this week. "When you think your career is over, try to get one more year out of it. You want to try to give yourself as many memories, as many thoughts to think about when you get done.
"(Favre) played very well at the end of the year, basically for the whole year. He proved to everybody he could guide a team that was not looked upon to be great and still got it done."
