Will he or won't he? Favre to return to Packers?
Personally - I think he's coming back.
"Hopefully we’re close," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We had a very good discussion last week. I know Ted (Thompson) talked to him in the last couple days. I should talk to him here in the next day or two. My whole thing with Brett is make a decision that you can commit 100% to. That’s what you have to do. For him, the season’s still fresh. He’s worn out from the season. He’s talking about it. He’ll do the right thing."
McCarthy was asked what the holdup is with Favre's decision. Favre finished second in the MVP voting and had indicated late in the season he'd have a decision sooner than a year ago. Last year, Favre announced he was coming back on Feb. 2. "You go through all the things that people think, that hey, he should play, he has a lot left, and that really has nothing to do with it," McCarthy said. "It’s not the fact that he knows he still can play. He had a great time this year. "
"It’s just the fact that he’s played a lot of football, and he’s had to fully commit himself and his family year in and year out. When you do get older, you have more responsibility, and he just wants to make sure he’ll be able to commit himself 100 percent. Because if he doesn’t think he’s 100 percent in, he thinks it might be his time to walk away."
(Continued)
McCarthy said he's taking some good-natured ribbing from others across the NFL who would love Favre to pack it up. "Oh yeah," McCarthy said. "Players and coaches. `Tell that old guy to retire.' I hear that all the time." Speaking of the other NFL teams, there are at least a few of the Packers' rivals and conference opponents are hoping he opts to walk away. "I doubt that's going to happen (just) from watching Brett play," said Minnesota coach Brad Childress, whose Vikings were 0-2 against the Packers in 2007, as Favre completed 65 of 91 passes for 695 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions (111.7 rating) in the two games. "Am I holding out any hopes that he quits? I probably (have more) hope that he falls off his lawnmower." Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli said, "Brett Favre is a heck of a football player. Would it help us for him to be somewhere else? Sure. But I just assume he's going to play forever."
"For sure, I want him to retire," said St. Louis coach Scott Linehan, whose Rams handled Favre (19-for-30, 225 yards, two TDs and two INTs) but still lost 33-14 on Dec. 16. "But I would be really surprised (if he does). You can just see, he's been reborn. He just defies everything. He just gets better with age. "As long as you can protect him, and they were able to get that running game going, (so) he didn't have to chuck it every time. He's unbelievable."
Linehan was among the coaches surprised and impressed by how well Favre played while turning 38 during the season. Favre finished the regular season having completed a career-best 66.5 percent of his regular-season passes for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 95.7 passer rating, his best since 1995.
For his part, McCarthy said the only way Favre's indecision affects the Packers is if he doesn't decide by the start of free agency at 11 p.m. next Thursday. In that case, the Packers wouldn't know if they needed to sign a veteran backup for Aaron Rodgers if Favre did quit, or if his $12 million base salary for 2008 will be on the books. "I wouldn't play any differently with Brett or without Brett. Conceptually, we'll still attack it the same way," McCarthy said. "It doesn't change anything from a scheme (or) preparation standpoint." Still, despite some coaches' hopes, not all of Favre's would-be opponents would like to see him hang 'em up. Former Packers and current Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, whose team was knocked out of the playoffs for the second time in five years in an NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 12, will coach his final season with the Seahawks in 2008, and he hopes Favre is back for one more year, too. "You know what? I love seeing him. He plays great against me, and that's a tough thing, but I want him to play as long as he wants to play," said Holmgren, Favre's coach from 1992 through '98. "But I really have nothing to do with that. If he's there, I'll do what I always do — give him a hug, and (tell him) it's good to see him. If he's not there, then we play (against) whoever's playing."
In other Favre news, the Mississippi State Legislature honored Brett Favre for breaking several passing records this year. Favre, the former University of Southern Mississippi star from Kiln, was honored with a resolution last week.
"Hopefully we’re close," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We had a very good discussion last week. I know Ted (Thompson) talked to him in the last couple days. I should talk to him here in the next day or two. My whole thing with Brett is make a decision that you can commit 100% to. That’s what you have to do. For him, the season’s still fresh. He’s worn out from the season. He’s talking about it. He’ll do the right thing."
McCarthy was asked what the holdup is with Favre's decision. Favre finished second in the MVP voting and had indicated late in the season he'd have a decision sooner than a year ago. Last year, Favre announced he was coming back on Feb. 2. "You go through all the things that people think, that hey, he should play, he has a lot left, and that really has nothing to do with it," McCarthy said. "It’s not the fact that he knows he still can play. He had a great time this year. "
"It’s just the fact that he’s played a lot of football, and he’s had to fully commit himself and his family year in and year out. When you do get older, you have more responsibility, and he just wants to make sure he’ll be able to commit himself 100 percent. Because if he doesn’t think he’s 100 percent in, he thinks it might be his time to walk away."
(Continued)
McCarthy said he's taking some good-natured ribbing from others across the NFL who would love Favre to pack it up. "Oh yeah," McCarthy said. "Players and coaches. `Tell that old guy to retire.' I hear that all the time." Speaking of the other NFL teams, there are at least a few of the Packers' rivals and conference opponents are hoping he opts to walk away. "I doubt that's going to happen (just) from watching Brett play," said Minnesota coach Brad Childress, whose Vikings were 0-2 against the Packers in 2007, as Favre completed 65 of 91 passes for 695 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions (111.7 rating) in the two games. "Am I holding out any hopes that he quits? I probably (have more) hope that he falls off his lawnmower." Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli said, "Brett Favre is a heck of a football player. Would it help us for him to be somewhere else? Sure. But I just assume he's going to play forever."
"For sure, I want him to retire," said St. Louis coach Scott Linehan, whose Rams handled Favre (19-for-30, 225 yards, two TDs and two INTs) but still lost 33-14 on Dec. 16. "But I would be really surprised (if he does). You can just see, he's been reborn. He just defies everything. He just gets better with age. "As long as you can protect him, and they were able to get that running game going, (so) he didn't have to chuck it every time. He's unbelievable."
Linehan was among the coaches surprised and impressed by how well Favre played while turning 38 during the season. Favre finished the regular season having completed a career-best 66.5 percent of his regular-season passes for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 95.7 passer rating, his best since 1995.For his part, McCarthy said the only way Favre's indecision affects the Packers is if he doesn't decide by the start of free agency at 11 p.m. next Thursday. In that case, the Packers wouldn't know if they needed to sign a veteran backup for Aaron Rodgers if Favre did quit, or if his $12 million base salary for 2008 will be on the books. "I wouldn't play any differently with Brett or without Brett. Conceptually, we'll still attack it the same way," McCarthy said. "It doesn't change anything from a scheme (or) preparation standpoint." Still, despite some coaches' hopes, not all of Favre's would-be opponents would like to see him hang 'em up. Former Packers and current Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, whose team was knocked out of the playoffs for the second time in five years in an NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 12, will coach his final season with the Seahawks in 2008, and he hopes Favre is back for one more year, too. "You know what? I love seeing him. He plays great against me, and that's a tough thing, but I want him to play as long as he wants to play," said Holmgren, Favre's coach from 1992 through '98. "But I really have nothing to do with that. If he's there, I'll do what I always do — give him a hug, and (tell him) it's good to see him. If he's not there, then we play (against) whoever's playing."
In other Favre news, the Mississippi State Legislature honored Brett Favre for breaking several passing records this year. Favre, the former University of Southern Mississippi star from Kiln, was honored with a resolution last week.
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