Packers GM, coach say no to Favre’s release

[fordfixer]

[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Av2i.wdQMGcPVpuGw9MCC8yG2bYF?slug=ap-packers-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns"]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns[/url]



(AP)—The Green Bay Packers’ general manager and coach don’t plan to grant Brett Favre’s request for his release. If he does rejoin the team, they told The Associated Press, it won’t be as the starting quarterback.

And Favre is unlikely to accept a backup role, GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged Saturday in their first public comments since the 38-year-old Favre demanded his release this week.

A trade may be the best resolution, but Thompson and McCarthy declined to discuss that possibility. Thompson said he had not received any inquiries from other teams as of Saturday morning.

“We’ve communicated that to Brett, that we have since moved forward,” Thompson said. “At the same time, we’ve never said that there couldn’t be some role that he might play here. But I would understand his point that he would want to play.”

When asked whether that role might be as a backup or coach, Thompson said: “not a coach.”

Added McCarthy: “He did ask about that, though.”

Favre, who led the Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 1996 season, held a tearful news conference to announce his retirement March 6. The Packers planned to begin the season with Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback.

McCarthy said he and Thompson were in constant communication with Favre throughout the offseason.

“Quite frankly, it’s a little gut-wrenching as an organization to go through it, and certainly for Mike and myself,” Thompson said. “This stuff hurts a lot of people. I mean, it hurts. I’m not talking about physically hurting, but the sensitivity. We understand where the fans are coming from. This is a hot-button issue that surpasses anything I’ve ever gone through.

[Ozey74]

Packers are doing the right thing. Good for them!!

[fordfixer]

Packers are doing the right thing. Good for them!!

[NorCal-Steeler]

A$$hole move for the Packers not to let him move on. Farve should take the back up roll and collect his checks while the fans call for him every time rogers throws a incomplete pass.

[NKySteeler]

A$$hole move for the Packers not to let him move on. Farve should take the back up roll and collect his checks while the fans call for him every time rogers throws a incomplete pass.

Just curious... Why do you think it's an "A$$hole move" by the organization? Did he not sign the current contract that is binding him?... I'm not sure how Junior Seau did it, but that sort of "irked" me... Retire, then come back just to go to a contender with no obligation.... Sort of seems like false advertising or something... I'm sure Favre has emotional ties to GB, but wouldn't be suprised if this was just a means to move on when the organization didn't give him the surrounding talent when he requested it.

[BigLebowski]

A$$hole move for the Packers not to let him move on. Farve should take the back up roll and collect his checks while the fans call for him every time rogers throws a incomplete pass.

Just curious... Why do you think it's an "A$$hole move" by the organization? Did he not sign the current contract that is binding him?... I'm not sure how Junior Seau did it, but that sort of "irked" me... Retire, then come back just to go to a contender with no obligation.... Sort of seems like false advertising or something... I'm sure Favre has emotional ties to GB, but wouldn't be suprised if this was just a means to move on when the organization didn't give him the surrounding talent when he requested it.

Right on brother. I applaud what the Packers are doing. While Brett has been a great player over the years, that does not give him any right to dictate his own terms. He is under contract and he has submitted his retirement paperwork to the NFL, nobody held a gun to his head and made him sign the contract or the retirement papers. Brett Favre thinks he is bigger than the Packers, and that is what is irking me.

[NorCal-Steeler]

I think its an a$$hole move if they are only keeping him to prevent him from playing elsewhere. If they plan on starting the best QB after preseason then yes its the right move. To me it sounds like they are going to start rogers reguardless of who is better. I'm only guessing but i assume they think Farve will stay retired and save them the 12 mill if he thinks he will be a backup. That is why i think he should call their bluff and take the 12 mill as a back up.
It kinda reminds me of Al Davis with Marcus Allen, it seems kinda personal on both sides.

Dont get me wrong im against players who want to renegotiate contracts but i dont think this has anything to do with $$$

[NKySteeler]

I think its an a$$hole move if they are only keeping him to prevent him from playing elsewhere. If they plan on starting the best QB after preseason then yes its the right move. To me it sounds like they are going to start rogers reguardless of who is better. I'm only guessing but i assume they think Farve will stay retired and save them the 12 mill if he thinks he will be a backup. That is why i think he should call their bluff and take the 12 mill as a back up.

Well, wouldn't it be a good business decision to try to keep him from playing for another team, especially if there is any possibility of him playing AGAINST them? Yes, it does sound as if Rodgers will be the starter, and I think it should be that way.

Hypothetical situation for you: .... Assume that Ben gets banged-up this year and next year due to a poor O-line and announces that he's going to retire... Then comes back and asks to be released outright the following summer... Would it not be a good move for the Steelers to refuse such a request?...

[NorCal-Steeler]

I dont think they packers plan on paying Farve 12 mill a a back up i think this whole thing is a bluff. I agree its time for Rogers to start in GB as well i just think they owe Farve enough to let him go if they arnt going to play him.

No i wouldnt want to cut Ben, but i wouldnt pay a guy to sit the bench either.

[NKySteeler]

Interesting follow-up to this story......
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Sources say Favre reneged on deal to return
By JASON WILDE
July 11, 2008

GREEN BAY — Brett Favre had his chance to come back to the Green Bay Packers at the end of March, but the legendary quarterback reneged on an agreement then to unretire — part of the reason why the Packers aren't now welcoming back the legendary quarterback.

According to two NFL sources, Favre informed the Packers during the annual NFL meetings in late March — less than a month after his tearful March 6 retirement news conference — that he wanted to play again. FoxSports.com's Jay Glazer first reported that information Friday afternoon.

The State Journal's sources along with Glazer's sources said that, at the time, Packers coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson told Favre they would welcome him back, and plans were made for him to return — a colossal commitment to a player who had just publicly said he no longer wanted to play anymore, wiping away tears while saying he didn't have "anything left to give."

In fact, Thompson — he has been criticized publicly by Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, and by members of Favre's family for supposedly not wanting the quarterback back — made the final call on whether the team would welcome Favre's return. Thompson agreed to bring back Favre, even though it meant forcing heir apparent Aaron Rodgers to sit yet another year behind the future Hall of Famer.

The Packers went so far as to charter a plane to Mississippi to finalize the agreement.

But two days before the meeting was set to take place, Favre called and informed McCarthy that he had changed his mind yet again and had decided that he wanted to stay retired.

Burned by the change of heart, the team decided to commit fully to moving on without Favre, the sources said. Rodgers was told the starting job was his, and the Packers drafted a pair of quarterbacks — second-rounder Brian Brohm and seventh-rounder Matt Flynn — as backups. They also began altering the offense to accomodate Rodgers' strengths.

Then, three weeks ago, Favre contacted McCarthy and said he had the "itch" to play again, and the team was cool to the idea. That led to what transpired Friday, when the Packers received a letter from Cook asking for Favre's unconditional release.

Sources said the team has no intention of releasing Favre, however. Instead, the Packers would be more likely to try to trade Favre, to control his destination and to prevent him going from an NFC North Division rival.

The Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears could be interested in Favre, who would be considered a significant upgrade over the Vikings' (Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte) and the Bears' (Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton) options at quarterback.

The Bears reached Super Bowl XL two years ago despite Grossman's inconsistent play. The Vikings, meanwhile, are a chic pick for Super Bowl XLII, and coach Brad Childress runs a version of the West Coast offense. Favre's former quarterbacks coach in Green Bay, Darrell Bevell, is the Vikings' offensive coordinator, while ex-Packers Ryan Longwell, Darren Sharper and Robert Ferguson are on the roster.

The Packers are scheduled to retire Favre's No. 4 at a ceremony at Lambeau Field during the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Vikings on "Monday Night Football."

But sources said it's virtually impossible that the Packers would ever let Favre go to such a rival. The team would rather keep Favre on its roster as a backup to Aaron Rodgers — an incredibly awkward situation in its own right — than let him play for the Vikings.

Other teams that could be interested in Favre are the Miami Dolphins, the Carolina Panthers, the New York Jets and the Atlanta Falcons, Favre's first team when he entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 1991.

If any team already has contacted Favre or Cook about the possibility of him playing for them, that team would have engaged in tampering, a violation of NFL rules.

According to one NFL source, Cook had contacted the Vikings about Favre playing for them, given his close relationship with Bevell — a former University of Wisconsin star — and the offense being similar to the one the Packers ran under former coach Mike Sherman.

In April, the Los Angeles Times reported — and the State Journal confirmed — that Cook had been quietly talking to teams to gauge interest should Favre return. Since Cook and Favre opted to send the letter about being released, it's possible those conversations could have reached more serious levels than allowed by NFL rules.

Cook's letter to the Packers on Friday asked the Packers to release his client "with no strings attached," and stated that Favre does not want to be traded because he wants the freedom to choose the team for which he wants to play.

Regardless, sources said, the next step for the Packers would be to start talking to possible trading partners to gauge Favre's trade value, because they would want to get a deal done before players report to training camp July 27.

The 38-year-old Favre had a renaissance season in 2007, completing 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) while leading the team with the youngest opening-day roster in the NFL to the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field, where the Packers lost in overtime to the eventual Super Bowl XLII-champion New York Giants.