Keep playing Brett Favre, but not for Packers

by Mike Celizic

He’s 36, which makes him too old to wait for the Packers to get good again, but there’s still time for him to have one last fling. It would mean finishing his career in a uniform other than the gold and green, which sounds sacrilegious. But I have a feeling that if Favre thought he could have one more decent shot at Paul Tagliabue’s big silver football, he’d take it.
And there are plenty of teams that could see themselves contending for the Super Bowl if only they had a real quarterback.

There are two in the NFC East alone — the Cowboys and the Redskins. If either of those teams had had Favre this year, they’d have the extra two wins that would have them in command of the division.

Then there are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are breaking in Chris Simms during a playoff run, and it’s not working out. Put Favre on that team with that defense and they’re leading their division.

Don’t tell me that the Raiders wouldn’t be six games better if they had Favre throwing to Randy Moss instead of Kerry Collins. The Jets thought they were set at quarterback this year and found out they were wrong. They’d take Favre next year and make a serious run at a title.

How much better would Miami be with Favre instead of Gus Frerotte? And then there’s Monday night’s opponent, the offensively challenged Ravens.

All of these are pretty good football teams that lack a true NFL quarterback. The Jets, Dolphins, Bucs, Cowboys and Redskins all have good defenses. They all have some skill players on offense; the Raiders, though not as proficient defensively as the others, have it all on offense, Moss and Lamont Jordan — and lack just a field leader.






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Favre isn't going anywhere. Speaking as a Packers fan or a realist (as those two have been known to not coencide) he's not that type of a player. I don't think he could just walk away from GB.

 

geez louise - how many times does he have to say it - he will NOT play for another team - not ever!!!! :nono:

 

If you watched Monday Night Countdown on ESPN, they reported that Brett Favre wants a meeting with Ted Thompson after the season.

Favre wants to know what direction the Packers are going in and what improvements TT intends to make. TT has already said he wants to build his team via the draft, which leaves Favre out in the cold.

Let Brett Favre have lunch with a HC from another team that really wants him and I guarantee Favre will move. The Packers aren't going to do much for Brett and he is too young to retire.

 

ok, this is me GIVING UP!!! can you say BROKEN RECORD????? no other freakin HC is gonna woo brett to another team - NEVER!!!!!!!!! :stop:

 

The first thing everyone must keep in mind is that the NFL is a business and therefore must follow the rules of the business. There are only two ways for Favre to go to another team seems he is under contract through 2010.

1)The Pack trades him.
Sounds good but what would be fair compensation? How many draft picks and/or players would it take? I think it would be too many to make any team want to pay the price. The Packers won't just give away the future HOF QB.

2)The Pack cuts him.
a)How foolish would the Packers look/be if they cut the 3 time MVP, winner of their only Super Bowl since the sixties.
b)Also what kind of cap hit would the Packers take while eating all that signing bonus from the original contract and all the regular contract money turned into bonuses during the years that Favre restructured to help the team with the cap. Prohibitive I'm sure.

Favre can't retire and then unretire and go to another team. As long as his contract lasts he's still property of the GBP.

 

I don't know how many times this comes up.

Favre has repeatedly said that he will absolutely NOT play for another team. He has said it would be too wierd for him to put on another uniform. Plus he said he and his wife have too much love and respect for the packers and their fans. He has also said that he has ZERO interest in learning another system. Even Mooch has a different system. When it was asked of him if he would continue to play if Sherman was fired he said probably not. not because he was standing up for Sherman but because he didn't want to spend a year learning a new system.

I met him once and asked him if he could ever play for another team....He said "no way".

Favre is not about money....it is about the team...it is about playing in the greatest town in football for the greatest franchise with the greatest fans. not for him to singularly win the trophy...but to stick with the team and lead them too it.

If he was traded he would rather ride his lawnmower (and attend the funeral of whomever traded him)

 

royston, I realize you are a newbie but you are making a quick push for idiot of the week. Favre has said ad nauseum that he will never play for another team...period. TT has said just this week that he wants Favre to return. Apparently, these two guys are flat out liars, according to you.

 

Royston, I have to agree with DePack and the other posters who have pointed out that Brett will end his days with Green Bay for a number of reasons that have already been pointed out, the only question has always been when and I hope it's not soon as I agree with you in that he is too young to retire but I disagree with your statement that he is too old to wait for the Packers to get good again as these days in tne NFL, things can change overnight so don't count out the Pack yet my friend. Boy that was winded.

 

It is not the Packers who keep bringing up Brett's retirement but Favre himself. Say that Favre does play for a season or two with another team like Joe Montana did. These fans will not have that warm fuzzy feeling for Favre that the fans in Green Bay do. If he starts chucking it up for grabs after this new team pays dearly for him then it would get real ugly like it did for Kurt Warner in New York.
Criticizing Royston for saying that if the Packers go into full rebuilding mode then Favre is the odd man out is unfair. You not only have to ask would Favre want to be a part of this but would the Packers want to wait another year to get started?
I say the Packers are ready to move on but they are walking on eggshells so they do not look ungrateful for what Favre has done for them.

 

GB fans worship Brett, he knows it and likes it. He won't get that from anywhere else.

Brett stays in GB, period. End of non story.

 

And that may be the reason for this yearly "I might just quit" routine. He talks of retirement and thousands of Packer fans cry "No Brett! Don't go! We love you!"
Sounds like he is starting to get off on this idol worship and needs that reassurance from the Packer fans every few weeks. The truth is that as soon as the season ends he can’t get out of Wisconsin fast enough and is in no hurry to return every fall. He would have been just as happy playing in New Orleans for all of these years.

 

Yeah I'm sure he would have been happy playing for the team that is just down the road from where he grew up, but the fact is he didn't. What we ALL need to do is take a deep breath and understand that Brett has to many records looking him in the eyes" I feel the same way about him as most of you do" But I don't care who you are records are always gonna be used to measure how good you were and if you have them all than how can you not be one of the greatest ever? I think it's a SHAME that TT ddin't do more to help Brett and the offense by building the O-LINE. With everything that has gone bad for the pack this year it will go better for them next season. Keep your heads up fellow Packers we'll be back and it won't be as long as it took the last time. Oh yeah Brett will always be a Packer!!!!!


Cheesy

 

I wish some of you morons would understand that Brett has no choice but to throw the deep ball and take some chances...otherwise it would be alot of three and outs (or Ryan Longwell FG's) all season and you would get to see your idol...BJ Sander...

(and i'm getting tired of Bear fans posting their idiocy on this board...who cares what you think? You like the Bears..now go away! This is a Packer forum!)

The problem is that Favre is playing with second rate, NFL Europe talent...or in other words rookies, or no talents like Ferguson.

Teams just double cover Driver and the other guys aren't good enough to beat single coverage...yeah they can get down to the red zone because of Favre..but can't get in the end zone because of the receivers, and a shaky running game...plus..as someone mentioned..this offense is predictable and poorly called, and nfl teams have figured out how to defend it years ago...

So its pretty much futile to begin with, and if I were Brett Favre..i would take my shots and throw the ball up there, and hope my receiver has the ability and desire to make a play....obviously that hasn't been happening and of course..you can't see the big picture of what's going on..so you blame Favre...

If TT would have been able to sign a true receiver like Molds or someone with talent...it would have been a much different season this year....and if TT doesn't go after 1 or 2 players like Molds next year..I wouldn't blame Favre for retiring...and perhaps even considering playing for another team...

You see...one way that the Green Bay Packers can push Brett Favre out the door is by only depending on the draft and to continue it's rebuilding mode, rather than getting some good veterans at the skill positions to WIN NOW!

That's one of the many areas that Sherman f***ed up in..and that is in drafting rookie wide receivers and waiting for them to develop, rather than getting experienced talent NOW!

Time will tell...

 

I can understand such jealous statements coming from a Bears fan who has witnessed so many defeats at the hands of one star QB. I suppose now that you have Kyle Orton to save your team everything will be ok (even though he struggles to throw for 100 yards/game.)

We all know that if TT didn't abandon the offense this year by not replacing Wahle and Rivera that this would have been a much different year. Now TT has a chance to make up for his mistake by using some cap space to get solid, proven players for the OL.

Enjoy your winning season Philly while you can. After over a decade of losing anyone can become delusional from one season.

 

You are COMPLETELY Wrong Phil. Favre has never issued a press conference to talk about retirement. He has never issued a statement through his agent. It is the media or a Reporter that every time they interview him, always ask about his retirement. He, Himself has never brought up the subject. It is the constant badgering of the media every year as he gets older , that brings the subject up. And with games to play, pesonal changes, or possible injuries to himself that could still happen, he can not give a deffinite answer no more than what he always has said, that being, if the team can stay competitive, if he still feels healthy, and if he feels he can still enjoy the game, he will continue to play.

On a side note, Does anybody else notice it is the media and fans of Packers opponents that keep pushing the fact that he should retire. That they should play Rogers and force Favre out. That the Pack hould "re-build". (Kinda like when the Cowboys had their rein and everybody was tired of seeing them at the top and was glad when they finally went down)

I just can't wait to hear all the Bear Fans here in Illinois say "Brett Favre Sucks" after this season with the bears riding a little wave right now,(which by the way they haven't won a division yet)

And, Oh, By the way, WE ARE THE DIVISION CHAMPIONS(for the last 3 years), until sombody else wins the title this year. Come on say it with me Bear fans now. "the Packers are The Division Champions".l

 

You are correct, Cheesehog, the Packers are presntly the Division Champion. But how wonderful will it be to take it from the Packers at Christmas. (sorry, just a little smack)

I cannot see Favre leaving Green Bay next year. The "transition" for the Packers hasn't started this year - they were simply decimated with injuries, that's all. Any kind of restructuring needs Favre as their leader until another QB can prove that he is better or until Favre decides to leave. Unfortunately, as a Bears' fan, I can see Favre in a GB uniform for at least another 2 years.

 

I agree 100% with Pack66.....wait a minute.....yea that's correct I agree with him especially the part about a bear fan. Imagine a bear fan badmouthing and wanting a guy to retire who has basically bitchslapped you for the last 15 years.

 

Pack 66: Your write that "Brett has no choice but to throw the deep ball and take some chances." What I would like to know is, how many times has this worked for him? I'm not talking about throws that he's made in the past to Javon Walker, who is a tremendous leaper, and I'm not talking about deep throws he's made to receivers who are in single coverage and are actually open. I'm talking about jump balls that he's throwing into double and triple coverage. Has a pass like this EVER succeeded in giving the Packers the lead or getting them back into a game when they were trailing? Maybe it's happened once or twice, but I sure don't remember it. These are extremely low-percentage plays that any NFL QB, including a rookie, simply should not be making. Part of the blame goes to the coaching staff for allowing Favre to continue doing this without even admitting that he's done anything wrong. But most of the blame goes to Favre, who is old enough to know better.

 

I couldn’t give a rat’s *** if Favre retires or not. On top of that I did not bad mouth Favre but a lot of you loyal Packer fans sure have so you really need to shut the f**k up.
You have Brett Favre this year and may very well go 3-13. The Bears had their starting QB miss the first 13 games and went 9-4 with a rookie QB who had no time to even learn the playbook.
Blame it on injuries if you must but they were sucking before the injuries even started and no one stepped up later because the Packers have no depth at all. That's just a fact.
I want Favre on the field when the Bears clinch the division on Sunday. I want Favre on the field next season and the season after that too so they can pound his *** and remind all Packer fans that these two teams have bounced up and down for the last 85 years and it is now the Packers turn to suck again.
The same people who said that I was just flaming before the season started are still in denial. I told you all that the Bears would be at least a .500 team while the Packers would be lucky to finish .500 and would miss the playoffs. Did I know that they would have injuries back in August? Was I right?
By the way, a Packer fan started this thread about Favre possibly playing for another team. Duh!

 

Yeah Phil, I want Brett there too, I want him there too.

 

Favre answered a few questions on packers.com. Check it out.

 

For a guy who "couldn't give a rat's *** if Favre retired or not" you sure want him on the field alot the next couple years.

 

For a bunch of people who are so sure that he will be back you seem to be talking about him leaving quit a bit. How about a new topic?

 

Cool...I'm burnt out on this one. Have a good holiday.