Brett Favre has proven that he is a bigger force in Green Bay than Packers management.
Backed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — who delayed reinstating Favre for a week to let the Packers and the quarterback come to a resolution — Favre will return to Green Bay on Monday with a chance to compete for the starting job. That’s what Favre wanted June 20 when he called Packers coach Mike McCarthy and told him he had the itch to play. McCarthy said then that the Packers had moved on, and GM Ted Thompson wasn’t going to alter his plans to hand the offense to Aaron Rodgers.
Goodell sided with Favre in the sense that the commissioner wants Favre in the league as a quarterback instead of a franchise marketer. For now, Favre has won, and Packers management looks embarrassed.
For weeks, football analysts asked why the Packers didn’t simply accept Favre back and let him compete against Rodgers. Egos seemed to get in the way of logic. Last season, Favre had one of his best seasons, throwing for 4,155 yards and leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game. But Favre’s offseason of indecision convinced Thompson and McCarthy to not bring Favre back.
The key concession Sunday was the Packers’ willingness to let him compete against Rodgers. That’s what Favre wanted all along, although he probably figured 16 years of quarterbacking excellence should have allowed him to waltz into the camp as the starter.
See! Those mean Green Bay Packers were trying to keep Brett from playing the game he loves!
Can’t you all see? He just wants to go out and have fun and win!
(Kill us now.)
