Favre tells some in Vikings organization he's retiring
UPDATED (3:16 p.m.)...
Quarterback Brett Favre has told some members of the Minnesota Vikings organization that he intends to retire, an NFL source said Tuesday.
The source, speaking on the condition of anonymity because Favre's decision has not been announced, confirmed multiple reports that the quarterback informed some people with the Vikings that he plans to walk away from the sport rather than return for another season and a possible Super Bowl run.
There has been no official confirmation by Favre or the Vikings that Favre will retire. The team was not ruling out the possibility of Favre continuing to play, and there was a degree of skepticism around the league because Favre is coming off a superb season and has reversed two previous decisions to retire.
Vikings Coach Brad Childress said during a news conference at the team's training camp in Mankato, Minn., that Favre had not made a definitive statement to him about retiring.
"I'm not a big hearsay person," Childress said. "... I've got to hear it from the horse's mouth."
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Favre began informing Vikings personnel late Monday that he would retire. ESPN reported that Favre sent text messages to Vikings teammates saying, "This is it." The Associated Press reported that Favre plans to retire because he feels that his surgically repaired ankle is not progressing as he'd hoped. Fox reported that Favre cited wear and tear on his body in telling teammates that he won't return.
It appears the Vikings might be holding out some hope that Favre could change his mind again and play.
"He's going to come to this decision," Childress said at his news conference. "It's not going to be the Wednesday before we go down to play New Orleans on Thursday night.... If he's in, we move forward. If [not], we've only been in camp four days."
The Vikings are scheduled to face the Saints at the Superdome on Sept. 9 in the NFL's season-opening game on a Thursday night.
Neither Favre nor his agent, Bus Cook, was immediately available to comment.
Others around the league were taking a wait-and-see approach.
Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid, a former quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers who worked with Favre, was asked about Favre's reported retirement at the Eagles' training camp in Bethlehem, Pa., and said: "I've been asked that question once or twice."
Reid said he would comment on Favre's retirement only "when it's all said and done."
Childress declined to say whether the Vikings would be willing to wait until after the season-opening game to see if Favre is willing to play at that point.
"Those are all kind of if-then hypotheses," Childress said. "Right now, all I know is we've got a film study at 12:30 and then a 2:45 center-quarterback exchange. We're day to day right here.... You asked: Was it fluid? Everything is fluid.... This is a very fluid situation."
Childress said the nonstop Favre speculation is "not going to be detrimental within our team group. Everybody on the outside, you can bat it around however you want to. And you will, and that's great. But it's not going to be detrimental because we talk. Our team talks. We know that we're in kind of a forming stage right here."
But after being asked a series of Favre-related questions, Childress also said: "I feel like this is Watergate. Have I done something wrong that I'm on trial?"
Before ending his question-and-answer session with reporters, Childress was asked if the Vikings could be as good without Favre this season as they would be with him.
"Don't know yet," Childress said. "We'll find out."
Favre wrote on his Web site during the offseason that he "couldn't be happier" about his decision to play for the Vikings last season.
"Regardless of what the future holds, I want everyone to know that I will cherish the memories of the past year for the rest of my life," Favre wrote.
Favre said during recent interviews he was undecided about playing a 20th NFL season.
Favre led the Vikings to the NFC title game last season and had one of his finest seasons, and was expected by many observers to return to the team this season after undergoing offseason ankle surgery.
It would be his third retirement from the NFL. He returned to play after announcing his retirement the previous two times.
Favre played for the Vikings last season after retiring from the New York Jets.
He played the 2008 season for the Jets after retiring from the Packers, then changing his mind and being traded to the Jets.
If Favre does retire, the Vikings would be left with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels starting at quarterback as they attempt to reach the Super Bowl this season.
The Vikings passed up offseason opportunities to add a quarterback, apparently believing that Favre would play this season.
Favre turns 41 in October and has been noncommittal publicly about whether he would play this season. He had been working out at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss., in anticipation of possibly playing another season.
Childress visited Favre last month at Favre's home in Mississippi, and said publicly afterward he didn't know if Favre would play.
Favre signed a two-year, $25 million contract with the Vikings before last season. The deal runs through this season and is to pay him $13 million this season if he plays.
He finished fourth in the NFL most valuable player balloting last season behind fellow quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, Drew Brees of the Saints and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers. Favre threw for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Vikings last season, with only seven interceptions.
The Vikings lost in overtime in New Orleans in the NFC championship game, and Favre stayed in the game after suffering an ankle injury but threw a costly interception late in regulation.
Favre underwent ankle surgery in May in Florida.
He has passed for 69,329 yards and 497 touchdowns, with 317 interceptions, in 19 NFL seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, Packers, Jets and Vikings. He has won three league MVP awards and has been selected to 11 Pro Bowls, and is the league's career leader in passing attempts, completions, passing yards, touchdown passes, interceptions and wins by a starting quarterback. He has started a record 285 consecutive regular season games (and 309 straight games including the playoffs).
He played 16 seasons for the Packers before tearfully announcing his retirement in a nationally televised news conference following the 2007 season. Favre later changed his mind and decided to continue playing. But the Packers had decided to move on with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, and a training-camp standoff ended with Favre being traded to the Jets.
Favre played one season for the Jets. He was plagued by an ailing shoulder and announced his retirement in a conference call with reporters, but again changed his mind and reported to training camp with the Vikings last summer.
By
Mark Maske
|
August 3, 2010; 11:07 AM ET
| Category:
Vikings
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Posted by: randysbailin | August 3, 2010 7:32 PM
DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE???????
Posted by: rud01 | August 3, 2010 6:56 PM
Favre get enough press and all you folks want to talk about with Albert is his money anyway.
But, people listen ESPN is NEVER RIGHT!!
ESPN IS GARBAGE!!!
It's disgraceful what they have done AGAIN!! I guarantee Favre is NOT RETIRING. I also bet he never said such to any reporter. Shame on ESPN...they are the biggest liars in journalism.
Posted by: kentonsmith | August 3, 2010 4:23 PM
Here in Wisconsin, we break out the kleenex for the annual Brett Favre Retirement Day celebration. We let a gopher out of his hole. If it sees an audience, there is one more season....
Posted by: foxtrot1 | August 3, 2010 3:31 PM
Please lord, let this be the last time we hear of, and/ or from this Stump Jumper.
Posted by: dashriprock | August 3, 2010 3:22 PM
Die, lil' Abner, die.
One less drama queen / attention-wh@re in the world.
And take that fat man-crushed beluga Peter King with you.
Posted by: daveque | August 3, 2010 2:48 PM
Can I have $12.5 million? 12.5! 12.5! 12.5! $12.5 million!
$13 million! Give me 13! Give me 13! 13! 13! $13 million!
Let me have $14 million! 14! 14! 14! 14!
Sold for $14 million a year to the poor saps from the Philadelphia Eagles!
Posted by: helloisanyoneoutthere | August 3, 2010 2:43 PM
Too bad. We in the WHO DAT Nation were looking forward to putting another beat down on this moron.
Posted by: skipmiller | August 3, 2010 2:23 PM
Get off this guys back, why didn't roger clemens get as much grief with all the drama he produced, and he was a steroids cheater no less!
Posted by: fairfaxgoper | August 3, 2010 2:22 PM
I hear that Joe Montana is feeling pretty good since he started wearing some new shoes. Hmmm. . . is there another comeback here?
Posted by: MarriedMann | August 3, 2010 2:21 PM
Please do not give him any more press. He blew is credibility long ago and anything that comes out of his mouth is of no value to anyone or anything. Enough.
Posted by: michele_marsden | August 3, 2010 2:18 PM
So what... who cares?
Posted by: whocares666 | August 3, 2010 2:15 PM
People this is Favre! This is Scene 1, Act II. the drama is just starting.
Even if he is retired, he will play more diva games until the playoffs start.
Between now and the playoffs I assure you the guy will drop hints that he is interested in coming back, second guess players and more.
Posted by: oknow1 | August 3, 2010 1:14 PM
This isn't even news. If he's still retired by week 1, then it becomes a minor story. If he's still retired by week 6, only then is it news.
Favre's credibility on retirements is roughly equal to a 22 year old bimbo who marries an 80 year old billionaire and claims she's marrying him for his great personality and sense of humor.
Posted by: randysbailin | August 3, 2010 1:04 PM
New rule: You do not report on anything Brett Favre related. EVER AGAIN. WE DON'T CARE. HE'S WORSE THAN LEBRON JAMES.
Posted by: CF11555 | August 3, 2010 12:42 PM
I hope hes just doing this to skip camp... Who wouldn't play for $13million?
Posted by: ozpunk | August 3, 2010 12:37 PM
Amen brothers and sisters! We have been released from Favre purgatory!
Let the real games begin.
Posted by: xSamplex | August 3, 2010 12:36 PM
Thank God.
Now if we can get this Haynesworth thing solved maybe we can all concentrate on football instead of these drama queens.
- Ray
Posted by: rmcazz | August 3, 2010 12:29 PM
Whatevver! I will believe it when I see it. Favre is an attention wh0r3. Fat Albert has been stealing all of his press.
Posted by: SkinzNWiz | August 3, 2010 12:10 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Everything around Favre is always surrounded w/ some mystery. 'Some in the Vikings organization say he's retired'. 'It hasn't been confirmed'. 'Sources indicate'. Can't this goober just come out and say that he's retired? Better yet, Childress should grow a pair, say good riddance and cut the diva.