Brett Favre Jets to New York

Favre Becomes Jets' New QB

Brett Favre has been nothing short of an icon with the Green Bay Packers during his 16 years under center with the organization. Green Bay is where he played all but two if his 257 career NFL games and recorded numerous achievements of his Hall of Fame-caliber career, including a Super Bowl victory in 1997.

A tumultous summer has brought that all to an end. A reversal in his decision to retire wasn’t met with the open arms Favre likely expected from the decision makers in Green Bay. And after about a month of trying to call each others’ bluff, the Packers decided to remain on course with the plans enacted when Favre originally chose to leave the game and allow Favre to continue his career somewhere else. They traded No. 4 to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick that ranges from a fourth round selection to one in the first round depending how much Favre plays and how deep he leads the team during the 2009 campaign.

It’s weird to see Favre playing somewhere outside of Green Bay, but the Packers made the right decision. The only right course of action was to keep the ball in new starting quarterback Aaron Rogers’ hands and allow Favre, who head coach Mike McCarthy believes couldn’t move past his perceived betrayal by the Packers organization, to lengthen his legacy with another team.

New York also made a smart decision. Draft picks are building blocks in the NFL perhaps more than they are in any other North American professional sports league, and the Jets may possibly lose one in the early rounds of the 2009 draft. However, they took a chance to acquire one of the best QBs to ever step on a football field and enhance their position of greatest need.

Plus, the draft pick trade off is very reasonable for the Jets. Here is the breakdown accoring to NFL.com:

• The draft pick begins as a fourth round selection
• If Favre takes part in 50 percent of the Jets plays, the selection bumps up to the third round
• Green Bay received a second round pick if Favre takes 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs
• A Super Bowl appearance and Favre’s participation in 80 percent in the team’s plays will grant the Packers the Jets’ first round pick
• If the Jets deal Favre to any of the Packers’ NFC North rivals, including the Minnesota Vikings, they will owe Green Bay three first round draft picks

I think if Favre can help lead the Jets to a Super Bowl appearance, win or lose, they will have little problem handing over their first round pick to the Packers.

But that’s easier said than done. After all, Favre joins a team that went 4-12 last year and took great pains to bring greater resources to the Meadowlands. Specifically, new additions on the offensive line in guards Alan Faneca and Damien Woody will aid Favre in trying to turn the ship around. And the competitiveness in the AFC isn’t going to make their job any easier. A playoff spot is far from guaranteed and probably still unexpected for New York.

But I still applaud the Jets push to acquire one of the few QBs available that has the ability to lead a huge turnaround. Chad Pennington, who was subsequently released, and Kellon Clemens don’t give New York the same chances that Favre does. They had to put a bit on the line to move ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the race for Favre, but it’s one they can’t be knocked for taking.

Despite this sour ending to the relationship between Favre and Green Bay, there is a mutual understanding that Favre would like to rejoin the Packers organization in some capacity following his retirement. After all, he might spend a year (or knowing him two, three or more years) playing with the Jets. But, at heart, he is and will forever be a Green Bay Packer. That should offer some consolation to fans that invested so much into No. 4.

Favre’s Short Return To Green Bay Over?

Packers return might be over after six hours of meeting with head coach Mike McCarthy

The most relentless sports story of the summer took yet another twist on Tuesday. After being reinstated into the National Football League and put on the Green Bay Packers’ active roster, Brett Favre spent a total of six hours over two days meeting with head coach Mike McCarthy to discuss just what direction they were heading in. According to McCarthy, Favre just isn’t in the right state of mind to play football for the Packers. He is still scarred emotionally for what has transpired between himself and the organization over the past several weeks.  And so, he left Lambeau after meeting with McCarthy. Future meetings will take place, but there’s no promise of any progress on the horizon.

This newest revelation is just another form of BS that’s been stewing since Favre decided to reverse his retirement and make a return to the NFL. The real story here is that while No. 4 wants to be under center next season, he doesn’t want to do it with Green Bay. The ball isn’t being handed to him and he doesn’t very much like that. He claims to be okay with competing against Aaron Rogers for the starting job, who has rightfully gained a lot of support from the team to be the starting QB next season. But I truly believe Favre has the mentality that he shouldn’t have to compete with anybody to be the quarterback of the team he became an NFL legend on. At the mere announcement of his intended return, Favre should have automatically been named the team’s starting QB almost instantly.

Well, Brett, it doesn’t work like that. For as good as you’ve been, your tenure with Green Bay was over. And I don’t want to hear anymore that he felt forced into a decision by the team. The same legendary status he believes should make him the unquestioned starting quarterback should have provided the same leverage for Favre to tell management that he was taking his time with a decision about retirement. How the hell was the team going to rush Brett “freakin’” Favre into a decision about his future?

I don’t think they did. And it was Favre’s fault in the first place that he was out of a job. And when he was gone, the team went in a new direction. After grooming Rogers for three years, it was finally time for him to take over as the new franchise quarterback. And while many feel Favre makes the team better, there’s no legitimate evidence to prove it can’t do just as well, if not better, with Rogers. Those plans shouldn’t change just because Favre all of a sudden decided to change his mind.  If he wasn’t sure in the first place about his playing future, he should have waited to announce a decision. The word “retirement” needs to be made significant again.

Favre’s selfishness has put the team in quite a bind the last few weeks and really caused a distraction for all players involved. It’s unfortunate that the antics of the same man who built this team up has now aided in bringing it down a peg. With McCarthy taking charge, the Packers should be all right. But Favre’s almost daily coverage has caused some serious interference over the normal course of action I’m sure McCarthy would have liked for training camp.

The only solution that remains is a trade. For Packers fans, it will be weird to see Favre in another uniform. He’s an idol to the cheeseheads. But, it’s Rogers’ time now and I think he’ll do great in the job he’s been preparing three years to take over. The two teams being dicussed as potential destinations for Favre are Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Minnesota would be a good fit for Favre, but I highly doubt Green Bay is even remotely interested in trading Favre within the NFC North. As a result, Favre might be okay with a move to the Buccaneers. I still wouldn’t count out a team like the New York Jets, though, who play all the way in the AFC.

Wherever he ends up, I doubt Favre will be sporting a Packers uniform at the start of the ‘09 season. And that’s the way it should be. His recent awakening selfishness shouldn’t screw Rogers out of the job he’s waited so long to take over and the entire team away from the new direction it inacted when Favre decided to retire in the first place.