Story Created:
Aug 5, 2008
Story Updated:
Aug 6, 2008
Packers Coach Mike McCarthy says the team has moved forward and Brett Favre needs to jump on the train and go. If he can't get past some of the things that happened, he can't go. Click Here to listen to McCarthy's news conference.
McCarthy said while Favre's mindset isn't right to play in Green Bay, Favre's mindset might not preclude him from playing elsewhere.
When a reporter asked McCarthy why Brett Favre is not the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy responded, "that's a great question, you need to ask Brett."
ESPN is reporting this afternoon that the Packers may be working on a deal to trade Brett Favre to Tampa Bay. That comes after Favre, Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthey left Lambeau Field this afternoon and met at Brett Favre's house. McCarthy missed the Packers' afternoon practice for the meeting. Today's TMJ 4 is reporting that Thompson and McCarthy have now left Favre's house.
An ESPN report states that Brett Favre has told them he and the Packers are at a stalemate and that the "best thing for this team is for us to part ways."
Favre tells ESPN that his presence at training camp would be a distraction. He did state that Packers coach Mike McCarthy told him the Packers are better with him on the roster and asked him whether he would have a problem with open competition.
Favre's response, according to the report:
"I'll practice my butt off, if it comes to that, and I think we all know what the end result will be, but this probably isn't going to work. And I truly understand that if I was in Mike's shoes, I'd see it basically the same way he sees it, I'm sure. And I think if he was in my shoes, he'd see it my way. I think we both agree on that.
"They want to know if I'm committed but I want to know if they're 100 percent committed. The problem is that there's been a lot of damage done and I can't forget it. Stuff has been said, stories planted, that just aren't true. Can I get over all that? I doubt it."
More:
• Favre: What The Bucs?
• Tampa Tribune: Favre Trade Imminent
• Journal Sentinel: Favre Gives Blessing to Trade
• McCarthy - Favre "Not in the Mindset To Play Football Here"
• Packers Players Fed Up with Favre Saga
• Packers Training Camp Pics from the Big Unit
• Charlie Sykes: Fans Back Pack
• The Llama Laments: Just Let The Man Go
The uncertainty of the situation made it far less likely that Favre would be on the practice field with the Packers for Tuesday's 3 p.m. EDT practice. And continued disagreement on Favre's role could accelerate trade talks, perhaps with the Minnesota Vikings -- something Packers officials have suspected Favre wanted all along.
McCarthy had scheduled a news conference for 9:15 p.m. Monday to talk about his plans for Favre. But the news conference was postponed because McCarthy was still meeting with Favre, and hadn't been rescheduled as of noon Tuesday.
Both Favre and McCarthy finally drove out a back gate at Lambeau at 12:22 a.m. Tuesday. Favre waved to a small crowd of fans and media from his dark red SUV, and McCarthy followed immediately behind him in a black SUV.
Favre officially was reinstated and restored to the team's active roster Monday. Going into Monday night's meeting with Favre, McCarthy was focused on trying to figure out whether Favre really was 100 percent committed to playing again.
McCarthy said Favre's answers would go a long way toward formulating the team's approach to its quarterback position this season.
"There have been no promises," McCarthy said Sunday night, the most recent comment by a team official on Favre's situation. "Once again, there has been indecision throughout Brett's path back here to Green Bay. It's important for us to sit down and communicate. There are some things we need to go through."
At least one aspect of the Favre saga has been resolved: The Vikings won't be punished for alleged tampering with Favre.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ruled Monday that he found no violations of league policy in the Packers' tampering complaint against Minnesota Vikings. The Packers filed tampering charges last month, suspecting that interest from the Vikings was the main reason Favre had suddenly changed his mind about playing in 2008.
And Minnesota coach Brad Childress denied reports that the Vikings have talked to the Packers about a potential trade for Favre.
"We haven't had any contact" with the Packers, Childress said Monday.
Vikings coaches apparently did have contact with Favre in the offseason, but Goodell found that their conversations didn't violate league tampering rules. In a statement, Goodell said, "None of those conversations suggest that Favre was soliciting a job or that other teams were soliciting his services."
The Packers reluctantly embraced Favre's forced return to the football field Sunday, after failing to come to a financial agreement that would manage to make Favre happy while staying retired. And while Favre's role remains unclear, Rodgers said Sunday that he's ready for a potential competition.
"I know if they do open it up to competition, not a lot of people give me a chance, but I believe in myself and I'm going to be the best I can be," Rodgers said.
As the Favre saga continues to take unexpected twists and turns, the Packers apparently are turning to an expert in crisis management: Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer gave a lecture to Packers players last week about media relations -- an event that was scheduled before Favre got the so-called "itch" to play again -- but the team apparently thought highly enough of Fleischer's advice that they decided to keep him around.
"Can't you tell?" McCarthy quipped Sunday night, after he was asked about a foxsports.com report that the Packers were employing Fleischer for one month as a consultant.
"I don't know the specifics," McCarthy said. "If he is, I might go see him when I'm done here."
Since leaving the White House, Fleischer has gone on to become president of Ari Fleischer Sports Communications, a joint venture with IMG. Last week, Fleischer told The Associated Press that he discussed the Favre situation with Packers players.
"Obviously, it's a topic, and it wasn't ignored," Fleischer said.
