Favre Announces Retirement
UPDATED (7:33 p.m.)...
Quarterback Brett Favre today announced his retirement from the NFL for the second time in less than a year.
This time, he said, it's for good.
Favre, 39, said he's ending his career only one season after being traded to the New York Jets in large part because an ailing right shoulder left him unable to throw the ball the way he once did.
"Emotionally I'm okay with it," Favre said in a conference call with reporters this evening. "I really felt like it was time. Obviously circumstances last year were a lot different. Physically, if I felt better, we might not be having this conversation. But I think that is, more than anything, the writing on the wall.... It all comes down to physically how I feel. Once again, that could change based on arthroscopic surgery or whatever. But I'm not willing to do that and I'm not willing to take that chance. And that, more than anything, is why I'm retiring."
Last year, he tearfully announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers in a nationally televised news conference, only to change his mind within months and decide that he wanted to continue playing.
That led to a contentious departure from Green Bay and a trade to the Jets. Favre spent one season in New York and the Jets unraveled late to miss the playoffs, leading to the firing of Eric Mangini as their coach and some public criticism of Favre by teammates.
But Favre said he didn't regret his decision to play one more season.
"I have family and friends: 'All right, Brett, is this the real deal?' And it is," he said. "It is, believe me. It's been a wonderful career. I couldn't ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could have played better down the stretch. I didn't. It's time to leave."
Favre is the most durable quarterback in NFL history. But he was bothered, particularly late in the season, by a sore throwing shoulder. The discomfort reportedly resulted from a partially torn biceps tendon.
He said his shoulder bothered him as far back as last offseason, and reached a point during the season at which he felt discomfort on virtually every throw. He received a cortisone injection following an early-December game in San Francisco that provided temporary relief, he said, but then experienced doubts following the Jets' second-to-last game of the season at Seattle that he could make all the throws he needed to make.
"I withstood so much for so long," Favre said. "I guess it was a matter of time before something broke down and it happened to be for a quarterback the most important thing, and that's his throwing shoulder. It's something that obviously I was able to play with. I don't think I was nearly as productive as the season progressed. It very well could be fine next year, and I'm well aware of that. But it could linger and bother me throughout the year. I just felt like it was time. I think that, to me, more than anything was a wakeup call."
Favre said he was made to feel welcome by the Jets and he denied a report that his agent, Bus Cook, had informal conversations with the team about the possibility of Favre being released. He said he never considered New York home but he enjoyed his experience with the Jets. He has no problems, he said, with Jets tailback Thomas Jones and safety Kerry Rhodes, who criticized him publicly after the season.
He indicated that he and Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum were in the process of firing Favre's retirement paperwork with the league office. He doesn't know what he'll do after football, he said. He spent much of today on a bulldozer doing yard work at his home in Mississippi, he said.
"It was disappointing the way it ended, sure," Favre said. "But I've had a great career. I'm proud of everything I've done, and I'll leave it at that."
The Jets confirmed earlier in the day that they'd been told of Favre's retirement decision.
"I had a great conversation with Brett this morning," Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a written statement released by the team. "Considering that he came from a totally different environment and joined our team during training camp, his performance last season was extraordinary. As I spoke with people throughout the organization, they all told me how much they enjoyed working with him. Brett Favre is a Hall of Fame player, but he is also a Hall of Fame person. Brett, [Favre's wife] Deanna and his family will always be a part of the Jets family."
Jets officials reportedly met soon after hearing from Favre to begin plotting their next maneuvers.
"When we acquired Brett, we knew we would get everything he had," Tannenbaum said in a written statement. "He took the time to mentor younger players and his competitiveness and enthusiasm at practice and during games was contagious. I spoke with him this morning and told him that he will be a friend of the Jets for years to come and it was an honor to work with him."
The move comes less than a year after Favre walked away from the Packers last March, then changed course.
By the time Favre decided to keep playing, the Packers had resolved to move on with former first-round draft choice Aaron Rodgers as their starter at quarterback. Favre asked to be released. The Packers refused. Favre ended up reporting to training camp in Green Bay last summer but told Coach Mike McCarthy that he couldn't put the months of tension with his longtime team behind him. The Packers traded Favre to the Jets.
The Packers issued a written statement today that said: "Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future."
Things went well for Favre and the Jets for much of the season but ended badly. The Jets didn't reach the postseason and Favre finished the season with 22 interceptions to go with his 22 touchdown passes.
When the Jets initially traded for Favre, they sought a two-season commitment from him. But he declined to offer that, saying that he would take his football future on a year-to-year basis.
"There was always the possibility that he wouldn't play the second year," Johnson said in a conference call with reporters today. "We were hoping to get one good year out of Brett Favre. We picked him based on, in our opinion, his giving us the best chance to win last season. We were disappointed not to have made the Super Bowl, but we did some very good things with Brett."
The prevailing sentiment around the league in recent weeks was that Favre likely would retire. But given Favre's unpredictable nature on the issue, the Jets had to be ready for either possibility. Tannenbaum said publicly last week that he hoped to have an indication from Favre before the NFL scouting combine, which begins next week in Indianapolis. The Jets released quarterback Chad Pennington last year just after trading for Favre. He signed with the Miami Dolphins, led them to the playoffs and was named the NFL's comeback player of the year.
Favre's retirement clears $13 million in salary cap space for the Jets. But it leaves the club with a void at quarterback. Pennington is gone. The quarterbacks on the Jets' roster are Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge.
Tannenbaum said during the Jets' conference call with reporters that the team was comfortable with its current quarterbacks but would consider making additions at the position.
Favre rewrote much of the NFL record book with his passing exploits. He has thrown for 65,127 yards and 464 career touchdowns, with 310 interceptions. He spent 16 seasons with the Packers after one season with the Atlanta Falcons. He reached two Super Bowls, winning one, with the Packers.
He and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning are the only three-time winners of the NFL most valuable player award. Favre ends his career with a string of 269 straight regular season starts (it was 291 in a row including the postseason). He had an everyman quality that endeared him to fans for most of his time in Green Bay, and he is regarded as a lock to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.
But he was only the league's 21st-rated passer during the just-completed season. That put him 15 spots behind the quarterback who replaced him in Green Bay, Rodgers, and 19 spots behind the quarterback he replaced in New York, Pennington. Still, the Rodgers-led Packers tumbled out of the playoffs a year after Favre took them to the NFC championship game.
The Jets fared better with Favre, going 9-7. But they lost four of their final five games. That led to the dismissal of Mangini. The Jets hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to replace him.
"It was an honor to coach against Brett over the years," Ryan said in a written statement released by the Jets. "If he's not the best quarterback ever, then he's certainly in the conversation. I have great admiration for him as a player and a person. I wish him only the best in his life after football."
After Favre threw three interceptions in a season-ending loss to the Dolphins, Jones said in a radio interview that the interceptions had "really hurt" the Jets and suggested that Favre perhaps should have been benched. During the Jets' 1-4 finish, Favre threw nine interceptions and only two touchdown passes. Rhodes told reporters at season's end that if Favre wanted to play another season, he needed to be fully committed and attend the team's offseason workouts.
By
Mark Maske
|
February 11, 2009; 10:21 AM ET
| Category:
Jets
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Posted by: mzkleen | February 11, 2009 11:14 PM
You can respect Brett Favre's abilities as a QB and his contribution to the GB Packers franchise, while still finding his general behaviour a bit unsportsmanlike.
For a man who famously upbraided players for putting themselves ahead of team, he really has done little else for a long time. It doesn't take away from his achievements, but it does point out how Favre has been able to manipulate press coverage for years.
Yes - he was always fun to watch: his rather unpredictable nature meant you never quite knew what kind of game you were going to see on any given Sunday. But his actions last summer - which put the GB Packer franchise between a rock and a hard place - really were less than gentlemanly. He retired and he needed to live with the consequences.
Posted by: Chasmosaur1 | February 11, 2009 10:53 PM
That drama queen should have been wearing a tutu for this announcement.
Posted by: officermancuso | February 11, 2009 9:39 PM
All time interception leaders:
1. Brett Favre 310
2. George Blanda 277
3. John Hadl 268
4. Vinny Testaverde 267
5. Fran Tarkenton 266
In 2 more complete seasons Farve could take a commanding 100 interception lead. Don’t go Brett, don’t go!
Posted by: DudeCameron | February 11, 2009 8:58 PM
Thank goodness this prima donna is gone. He outlasted his welcome by three years.
Why is it these athletes can never accept that should leave on top? Why do they alway push it a year or three too long? Why dont see the last guy who did it and learn?
Posted by: dbeins | February 11, 2009 8:16 PM
That's a shame. Think how he could have run up his interception record with another year behind center.
He was very good, but the infatuation with him is inexplicable. Had Rothlisburger or Brady been the QB of Green Bay in their prime, I don't think the Pack would have been limited to a single ring...
Posted by: xSamplex | February 11, 2009 6:20 PM
A Favre retirement announcement is about as newsworthy as a weather forecast of "partly cloudy". Isn't this an annual event? If he's knee deep in Mississippi in a pile of horse manure on a Sunday in October, I'll believe it's true.
Posted by: randysbailin | February 11, 2009 3:23 PM
Hate on Brett all you want gaywads, he is still a future hall of famer, football great, hero to millions, filthy rich superstar and whatever other tired metaphor for greatness you want to attribute to the man. Pick the one that most humbles and humiliates you for wanting to denegrate him and suck on it.
Posted by: ozpunk | February 11, 2009 2:53 PM
All I have to say is Favre is always a Packer. I literally pretended that this last season didn't exist. I couldn't watch Favre play for another team and the Pack were in "a re-building year" as people call them. Next should be better, Rodgers will grow up, the defense will get straighened around and Favre will be watching the games from his couch with the family. I wish you the best Brett and don't ever tell yourself you were ever a Jet at heart. You will always be a Packer to me.
Posted by: wwbrownie77 | February 11, 2009 2:53 PM
What a bunch of sour-grapes whiners on this comment board. One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time retires, and all you losers can do is gripe, whine, sling mud, and complain. Brett Favre deserves better than a bunch of losers like you for fans. What have all of you done with your lives that you can look down your noses at Brett Favre?
Posted by: jerkhoff | February 11, 2009 2:37 PM
"The Pack will never be the same without you!
Posted by: tmw-online | February 11, 2009 2:10 PM "
----------------------
No, actually the Pack is better off once Da Bratt left town. Too many Fantasy-Football freaks with a huge Man Crush on that self-centered twerp made for all the drama.
Good riddance.
Posted by: phoenixresearch | February 11, 2009 2:24 PM
Wow - lots of Favre haters out there. You are all just jealous of Bobo. Why don't you people get a life - especially the comments about Brett being a cheater because he used pain killers. That comment only reflects the absolute stupidity of the person who wrote it. Brett changed his mind about retirement last year - so what? Brett threw a few interceptions in his career - so what? Hey Brett had a career not like the wanna be hater's writing bad about him. Go Brett and thanks for the memories. The Pack will never be the same without you!
Posted by: tmw-online | February 11, 2009 2:10 PM
Bill81
You can always just stop watching sports. I am sure the NFL, NBA and MLB will survive. Seeing your life is so pure. Maybe you can watch fishing and bowling.
Posted by: ged0386 | February 11, 2009 1:56 PM
Favre's body just broke down late in the season similar to the Redskins Offensive Line. OLD bodies are only good for a few games. So Keep Favre's number handy just in case your starting QBs get hurt.
Posted by: jercha | February 11, 2009 1:03 PM
If he were black or hispanic, he wouldn't have got this free ride on his drug cheating....
Posted by: Bill81 | February 11, 2009 12:12 PM
Favre is no better than A-rod. His years of pain-killer abuse gave him his years of consecutive starts, and much of his logevity and records. It's a crime he isn't held more guilty for these years of cheating - all his records are tainted.
Posted by: Bill81 | February 11, 2009 12:11 PM
Oh I'm sad to hear this, I'm a Packer fan first, Favre fan second and a newbie Jets fan. I just love watching good players and good football and I will really miss seeing Favre play. No matter what has happened he did a lot for the Packers and always made watching football fun and exciting. My house will miss you Brett....my husband will be happy that I won't be jumping for joy and frustration over another man! lol!
Posted by: stassart | February 11, 2009 12:09 PM
Lets just hope this is it. One more cry at a news conference and be done.
Posted by: arby1 | February 11, 2009 12:06 PM
This isn't good news for the Ravens, as it opens the Jets up to be able to afford Ray Lewis.
Check this article out:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2962-Baltimore-Sports-Examiner~y2009m2d11-Brett-Favre-retires-move-could-loom-large-on-Ravens
Posted by: colezach5 | February 11, 2009 11:57 AM
Favre must think he's Frank Sinatra.
Posted by: adrienne_najjar | February 11, 2009 11:45 AM
Who?
Posted by: mortified469 | February 11, 2009 11:41 AM
As a Packers' fan I just want to say please do what you should have done a year ago and retire for real, preferably sans tears.
Being a constant drama queen just sullies your reputation and makes you look like an indecisive wimp, which is for better or worse exactly what your career shows you not to be. You didn't get the consecutive start record AND the career interception record acting this way.
Posted by: heafrogo | February 11, 2009 11:38 AM
Too soon, Brett. Before coming to any decision to stay or leave, first let all of the people who believe in you plan their season around what you have said you would do. Wait til pretty much the last minute to queen out on everybody and change your mind. Then sit back on your good ol' boy laurels, maybe take out the dawgs a spell, and watch everybody scurry about to enable you and your moods.
(This is especially fun with teammates because, unlike businesspeople who run the teams, they are just so trusting.)
Posted by: BobT3 | February 11, 2009 11:35 AM
is he sure this time?
Posted by: r39149 | February 11, 2009 11:33 AM
Not a surprise. He could have been a legend in Green Bay for the rest of his life and beyond, but he ruined it for himself and Packer fans. In the end, he screwed up several peoples' careers (Pennington's, Mangini's, etc). Pretty selfish.
Posted by: gardedgarton | February 11, 2009 11:31 AM
WHO &*^*ING CARES!!! GO AWAY, ALREADY!! WE'RE TIRED OF THIS BIG BABY!!! AND YES, I'M SCREAMING!!!!!
Posted by: HumanofEarth | February 11, 2009 11:21 AM
Um. Buh-bye.
Posted by: monk4hall | February 11, 2009 11:18 AM
again?
Posted by: HankC_57 | February 11, 2009 10:47 AM
Retire quetly? I was hoping to see him cry again on ESPN.
Posted by: wiatrol | February 11, 2009 10:41 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Uh huh. Sure. I don't believe it.