violator said:

The clips of Driver and Woodson that I saw were of them saying this needs to get resolved one way or the other. They didn't knock Favre but they didn't say, "Why the hell are we considering letting this guy go somewhere else?" either. They just said, get it over with.

I don't know enough about what changes Green Bay made to their team (if any) after Favre announced his retirement - did they make any significant changes? And didn't they draft another QB because with Favre's retirement, they needed a back-up? If they'd known Favre was going to come back, they could have drafted for another need.

Finally, I just can't get behind Favre after learning he called Thompson up and said he was thinking about coming back, so Thompson and McCarthy chartered a jet to go down to Mississippi to talk to Favre about it, and then Favre called back and said, "Never mind, I'm staying retired".

Dude is a drama queen and I don't respect him much any more.

P.S. Favre's a Jet.

RodeoSchro said:

I saw what I saw. Driver specifically said he was glad to have Favre back in camp. And the Woodson quote is on ESPN. Look at the depth chart for the Packers. It's much the same as it was last season. Whatever changes they made, they weren't of the earth shattering variety that would have precluded Favre's return. Again, regardless of how you see Favre's handling of the situation, which admittedly was overly dramatic, from a pure football standpoint it was a dumb call by the Packers and almost equally ego driven.

And one that Thompson will have to answer for if Rodgers busts in Green Bay.

violator said:

The clips of Driver and Woodson that I saw were of them saying this needs to get resolved one way or the other. They didn't knock Favre but they didn't say, "Why the hell are we considering letting this guy go somewhere else?" either. They just said, get it over with.

I don't know enough about what changes Green Bay made to their team (if any) after Favre announced his retirement - did they make any significant changes? And didn't they draft another QB because with Favre's retirement, they needed a back-up? If they'd known Favre was going to come back, they could have drafted for another need.

Finally, I just can't get behind Favre after learning he called Thompson up and said he was thinking about coming back, so Thompson and McCarthy chartered a jet to go down to Mississippi to talk to Favre about it, and then Favre called back and said, "Never mind, I'm staying retired".

Dude is a drama queen and I don't respect him much any more.

It's done, Favre is a Jet and a whiny bitch.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—Brett Favre’s journey from retirement and back has finally ended—in New York.

The Green Bay Packers reached an agreement Wednesday night to trade their three-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback to the New York Jets, ending an emotionally grinding month of indecision over Favre’s future.

The move ends a remarkably ugly split between Green Bay and one of its most beloved players, allows the Packers to move forward with new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and gives Favre a fresh start—although not exactly the one he wanted, as Favre’s first choice was widely believed to be the Minnesota Vikings.

Terms of the trade weren’t immediately available.

“It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible,” Green Bay officials said in a statement.

Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson issued a statement early Thursday.

“I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform,” Johnson said. “He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible team on the field.”

Green Bay had been talking with the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers since deciding earlier this week that they could no longer coexist with Favre.

The Packers decided to move forward with Rodgers as their starer after Favre announced his retirement in March. Given their commitment to Rodgers, team officials weren’t particularly receptive when Favre decided just over a month ago that he might want to play after all—the latest development in several years’ worth of flip-flopping about his football future.

The agreement was first reported by Fox Sports on its Web site.

“We just felt like this was an opportunity to go get somebody of Brett’s stature and what he’s accomplished,” Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said during a conference call early Thursday morning. “We felt it was in the best interest of the team and when the opportunity presented itself, we felt it was the right move for us to make and we went ahead and did it.”

A number of fans made it clear throughout training camp that they wanted Favre on the Jets with signs and “Get Brett!” chants. Favre’s new No. 4 Jets jersey already was for sale on the team’s Web site about an hour after the trade was announced.

Tannenbaum, who said he had a “good” conversation with Favre, wouldn’t speculate whether the quarterback will play in New York beyond this season.

“We had discussions with him and his agent, Bus Cook,” Tannenbaum said, “and we’re going into this and we’re going to take this one year at a time and we’re excited to have Brett on the team this year.”

The arrival of Favre signals the end of Chad Pennington’s career with the Jets. Tannenbaum said there would be another transaction regarding Pennington, who spent his first eight seasons with the Jets.

“It’s a bittersweet moment for us,” Tannenbaum said. “I have all the respect in the world for Chad as a person, as a player. We’ve accomplished a lot of good things with Chad … He gave his heart and soul to this organization for a long, long time. I really appreciate everything he’s done.”

Favre left Green Bay on Wednesday, boarding a private plane that left for Hattiesburg, Miss. at 1:25 p.m. EDT with his wife, Deanna, and Cook. Favre’s family home is near Hattiesburg.

In Mississippi, Favre confirmed that he was considering the Jets and Buccaneers.

“We’re working on it,” Favre told Jackson TV station WJTV. “Hopefully, we can get something resolved. I’ve been saying that for quite a while now. I don’t want to say we’re running out of time, but I need to get into a camp somewhere.”

The 38-year-old Favre holds most major NFL passing records and led the Packers to the NFC Championship last season, where they lost to the New York Giants. Favre threw what would prove to be the decisive interception in overtime.

The Jets went into training camp with an open competition between Pennington and Kellen Clemens after neither established themselves during a 4-12 season. Pennington was 1-7 as the starter and was benched midway through the season. Clemens went 3-5, but Pennington actually had the better season statistically.

After some hope for reconciliation between Favre and the Packers earlier this week, the final split became obvious Tuesday evening.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday that after approximately six hours of what he called “brutally honest” conversations over two days, the coach had determined that Favre doesn’t have the right mind-set to play for the Packers.

McCarthy said Favre couldn’t seem to get past emotional wounds that were opened as tensions mounted in recent weeks—even with the chance to win his starting job back potentially on the table.

“The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “He needs to jump on the train and let’s go. Or, if we can’t get past things that have happened, I have to keep the train moving.”

McCarthy said Wednesday he was happy the rest of his players were getting a chance to move forward.

“We talked about it last night,” McCarthy said. “The players want resolution, they want what everybody wants. To come out here every day and talk about somebody that is not here and then shows up, it’s gone on too long, and understandably so. They want to play football.”

violator said:

Why ? They are not a superbowl contender.

Graycap23 said:

Plus the Jets don't run the West Coast Offense, and their WRs can't compare to Green Bay's. Now even at 38, Favre is an upgrade over Pennington or Clemens. Maybe he can make his supporting cast better.

I'll have 2 admit, I would take Brett over my Bear qb anytime..... even dead.

violator said:

I agree, not much of this makes sense. But if what I heard was true, this was Favre's call, not Green Bay's. It was Favre that said he was retired and then said it again when Thompson and McCarthy were coming down to meet him.

I seriously doubt Ted Thompson would run off Favre just to get Alex Rodgers in. Thompson gets to keep his job if he wins and if he thought he was guaranteed to win with Favre, he would've moved heaven and earth to keep him.

ESPN said the Favre family wants him to go to Tampa Bay, but their offer isn't as good as the Jet's yet.

Neither one of those teams is a Super Bowl contender, with or without Favre.
[Edited 8/6/08 21:24pm]

Packers make their choice with Favre; now they can wallow in it
By Gene Wojciechowski

From green and gold to green and white. From, "Go, Pack, Go" to "J-E-T-S." From the NFL's smallest market to the league's largest.


Brett Favre's life did a 180 late Wednesday night, and it happened because Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson didn't trust Favre, and Favre didn't trust Thompson.

Drag a razor across this controversy's beard and that's what you'll find under the stubble -- distrust, too much scar tissue and the simple yet mind-boggling fact that Packers management thinks Favre isn't good enough to win. If it thought otherwise, Favre wouldn't be the quarterback of the New York Jets today.

Anyway, so much for the Packers wanting to protect Favre's "legacy." Remember that bit of PR fiction? The benevolent, caring Packers would be there to safeguard all things Brett -- that's what they said often in recent weeks. But the protection broke down when Favre decided to unretire and return to Green Bay.

Favre is a Jet because Thompson didn't want him to be a Packer. Or a Minnesota Viking. And who can forget that heartfelt "crossing the Rubicon" statement by Packers team president Mark Murphy when Favre was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Any icier and you could have played hockey on it.

For all those Favre critics who insist he's a drama queen, remember that he could have stayed in Green Bay, practiced, competed in an open competition with Aaron Rodgers and dared Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy to keep him on the bench. But he didn't. He left after several days because he has more respect for the Packers than the Packers have for him.

Packers management thought Favre wouldn't push for reinstatement and report to camp, but he did. It thought he would take its $25 million of get-lost money, but he didn't. It thought it could break his will by refusing to release him or trade him to the Vikings, but it couldn't.

And nice job on accusing the Vikings of tampering (the Vikes were cleared of any wrongdoing). Plus, wasn't it interesting that someone leaked a story that Favre allegedly called the Vikings on a Packers-issued cell phone (also untrue).

If this were a divorce, then Favre would be the one getting the alimony. The Packers were so eager to ditch the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and victories by a QB that they reduced the bidding war to two teams (the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers). And they settled for a conditional fourth-round pick, which will bump up to a third-rounder if Favre takes 50 percent of the snaps (duh), and a second-rounder if he takes 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets reach the playoffs.

Instead of Favre -- who earlier last season helped lead the Packers to the NFC Championship Game and finished second in the league's MVP voting -- Thompson would rather have three quarterbacks on his roster with a combined zero NFL starts. He'd rather have Rodgers than the most durable quarterback in the history of the game.

Why? It isn't just because Favre wanted to unretire. It can't be. It has to be something as fundamental as Thompson (and maybe McCarthy, too) having lost faith in Favre's ability to win games. If so, Thompson miscalculated yet again.

Thompson's future now depends on Rodgers. If Rodgers gets hurt, the Packers are done. If Rodgers can't handle the pressure, the Packers are done. And Thompson with them.

Of the two finalists for Favre, the Jets actually made the most sense. The Buccaneers already have Jeff Garcia, who made the Pro Bowl last season. Meanwhile, the Jets are underwhelmed by Chad Pennington, who is minutes away from getting released because of his $6 million salary, and Kellen Clemens.

The Jets spent $140 million during the offseason on players. They upgraded their offensive line by signing guard Alan Faneca, who will fit in nicely on the left side with tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson. They upgraded their defensive line (nose tackle Kris Jenkins). They have Thomas Jones at running back (1,119 yards last season). They have Laveranues Coles at wide receiver.

Yes, they're in the same division as the New England Patriots. But they're also in the same division as the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills. They play Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis and San Francisco. A nine-win season, maybe a game better, isn't inconceivable. At least, not any more inconceivable than Favre in New York.

It will be strange to see Favre in a Jets helmet. It would have been strange to see him in any helmet that didn't have the game's best logo -- that classic G -- on the side.

On the Jets' Web site, you can already purchase a Favre replica jersey for $80. There's also a tortured headline that reads, "DO QB-LIEVE IT? BRETT FAVRE IS A JET."

No, I don't believe it. Not because he's a Jet, but because Thompson just traded the best quarterback on his roster.

"It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible," Murphy and Thompson said in a joint statement.

Sadness? Thompson never wanted Favre back to begin with. Plus, the Packers got a draft pick out of it, they saved $25 million in bribe money, and they're still selling Favre jerseys for $179.95. So enough already with the fake sadness thing.

But if I'm a Packers fan, I fly my team flag at half-mast today. Or better yet, raise a Jets flag.

They're only $20 at Jets Shop.

Gene Wojciechowski is the senior national columnist for ESPN.com. You can contact him at gene.wojciechowski@espn3.com.

Graycap23 said:

I was going to suggest Chad Pennington to the Bears, but he'd struggle in that windy stadium. He'd be a good fit for the Vikings.

I predict that Brett will retire again before the end of the upcoming football season.

SCNDLS said:

I predict that Brett will retire again before the end of the upcoming football season.

Graycap23 said:

And I predict the Vikes will now win the NFC North with Favre out of the picture.