Story Created:
Aug 6, 2008
Story Updated:
Aug 7, 2008
Brett Favre is headed home. Shortly after 12pm Wednesday, Favre arrived at Green Bay's Austin Straubel Airport and boarded a charter flight for Hattiesburg, Mississippi .
According to the Tampa Tribune, Favre will be dealt to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, possibly by the end of today. During a news conference Wednesday, Bucs coach Jon Gruden refused to speculate on a possible deal.
Favre tells the Journal Sentinel that he's given his blessing to the Buccaneers trade.
Before that happens, three things may need to become defined:
• Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, and the Buccaneers have to come to agreement on Brett's compensation.
• The Buccaneers have to offer the Packers what they want in draft picks or players.
• The Packers will probably ask for a "poison" pill to guarantee that the Bucs won't turn around and deliver Favre to an NFC North rival in a trade.
More: Journal Sentinel | Tampa Tribune
Originally, when Favre said he wanted to leave Green Bay in July, he reportedly expressed main interest in playing for the Minnesota Vikings, a team for which the Packers stated they would never be willing to allow him to play.
Once his two-day discussions with Coach Mike McCarthy led to a seemingly permanent impasse between the parties, the Tribune says he became more flexible with his willingness for a trade to other teams.
When a reporter asked McCarthy during a Tuesday afternoon press conference 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."
More: McCarthy - Favre "Not in the Mindset To Play Football Here"
People will be asking Favre lots of questions, and according to Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Bill Michaels, Favre will have lots to say - some of it not so nice in the Packers' view.
Recently, the Packers hired former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer as a consultant to help handle the Favre situation and a possible upcoming firestorm in the press coming directly from Brett Favre's mouth.
"A person close to Brett said that he's eventually going to talk about this," said Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Bill Michaels on Wisconsin's Morning News Wednesday.
"He said, 'They didn't hire Ari Fleischer for what's been done. They've hired Ari Fleischer for what's about to be said'.
"Eventually, there's a part two to all this. I don't think it's over."
There is the chance, though, that Favre may say his career is over. Michaels received word from a source saying Favre could actually still re-retire.
The New York Daily News reports the Jets are still not out of the picture in a trade, though the odds are against that happening because Favre has expressed much less interest in playing in New York.
Regardless of Favre's eventual destination, the Packers players seem to be sick of hearing about - and talking about - the Brett Favre saga.
More: Packers Players Fed Up with Favre Saga
And though many fans have congregated at Packers training camp and offered their own displeasure that Favre won't be a Green Bay Packer much longer...
More: Packers Training Camp Pics from the Big Unit
...perhaps an even more prevailing thought of how sick fans have all become over incessantly hearing about the Favre saga may come from a new poll...
More: Sykes Writes - Fans Back Pack
...and come from our own Todd "The Llama" Welter:
"End this madness!"
More: The Llama Laments - Just Let The Man Go
Newsradio 620 WTMJ will have more on this story as it develops.
