Source: Favre has 'itch' to ditch retirement, report to camp

[Walter Cronkite]

With his family "tugging" on him to play, Brett Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Green Bay Packers later this month, according to sources close to the team and player.

Favre has communicated his potential desire to coach Mike McCarthy but talks have not advanced to a substantive stage, a Packers source said.

The source said the Packers would be reluctant to open the door for Favre because "Brett retired for the right reasons, even though I know his family is tugging on him [to play]."

Another source conceded Favre was "getting the itch" to play football in 2008.

However, Favre's agent downplayed the likelihood that the quarterback could un-retire or that he was prepared to report to camp July 28.

"As far as I know, right now, Brett Favre is retired and until he tells me something different, that's what it is," James "Bus" Cook, Favre's agent, said.

Favre was unavailable for comment. A Packers spokesman said that McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson were on vacation.

"The Packers have no reaction," team spokesman Jeff Blumb told The Associated Press.

Favre has two years remaining on his contract at an average of about $12.5 million per season. His salary is not currently counting toward the salary cap because the Packers placed him on the reserve-retired list.

If Favre decides that he absolutely wants to play this season, the Packers could be confronted with a sensitive issue. The entire offseason has been spent preparing Aaron Rodgers to play quarterback to the point where "the offensive scheme has evolved" and, psychologically, closing the door on Favre's legendary 17-year career.

"As a veteran and as a leader of the team," Packers defensive back Al Harris said on ESPN's NFL Live, "I would welcome Brett with open arms. "

He added: "We embrace Aaron. We support Aaron. Aaron is our quarterback. Brett is retired, but if he wants to come back, there will be some guys that wouldn't mind it."

If the Packers resist a stronger push by Favre to return, sources speculate that the quarterback could press the team to release him from his contract so that he could seek a job with another team. A league official said that Favre could force a decision by asking the Packers, in writing, to reinstate him to active status. The team would have to comply or release him.

"That's speculation and I wouldn't go there," a team source said. "We value Brett's legacy, we think he values it, and we'd want to protect that. Brett's a high-quality person and he's not going to push it that far. He'll do the right thing [and stay retired]. This was almost predictable, the idea that Brett would get the itch to play as we get closer to the season."

In an interview done with ESPN around the time Favre retired in early March, McCarthy predicted Favre "will have an itch to come back. I saw Joe Montana go through it, even though I was a younger coach in Kansas City at the time."

McCarthy said it was Favre who convinced the coach that retirement was the "right thing to do."

"I tried to talk him out of retirement," McCarthy said back in March. "Tom Clements [Green Bay's quarterbacks coach] and I were trying to sell him on the concept that he could still play at a high level with 80 to 85 percent of the commitment he had last year. Brett thought that maybe he could do it but he reasoned that when you cut back the commitment, you open yourself up to injury, to not being on top of your game -- which was very important to Brett -- and letting the team down in the process.

"Really, what Brett did was very honorable because the stress and pressure he feels is a direct result of the standard he sets for himself."

Source: ESPN.com

[AndySMC]

Anybody that Knew anything about Favre knew that he did not want to retire but he felt Thompson did not want him there. You could see the fury in his wife at the retirement news conference also. Thompson did precious little to keep him around. He did just enough to act as if he wanted him but we all knew he wanted to move on to his guys.

Well if Brett comes back Thompson is screwed. If the Packers welcome him they will have killed Aaron Rodgers and he might as well be traded and Thompson doesn't want that. If he tries to trade him, Brett has a 12 million dollar salary and you are not going to get a team to do that knowing that the Packers would probably give him his release if they are not going to start him. If they give him his release the fans would have his butt, especially if he ends up in Minnesota.

Minnesota has one of Brett's golfing buddies in Ryan Longwell as well as other former Packers plus the Head coach Childress and him are somewhat close. With their line and running game and improved defense they could win the north against the Packers. If that happens Thompson should be launched into the free agent market.

[Stallion]

If only there was an NFL team about 200 miles to the south that could use a guy like that....

[Walter Cronkite]

Report: Favre sends text message to Packers GM Thompson

The Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre are publicly remaining quiet on reports that the quarterback is reconsidering his decision to retire. But according to media reports, that doesn't mean there's no activity behind the scenes.

Favre has said little about the report that he was considering a return to the NFL, other than telling the Sun Herald of Biloxi, Miss., that "it's all rumor" and that there was "no reason" for a media frenzy. And the Packers said they had "no reaction" to ESPN's report that Favre had an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp later this month.

But WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee reported Monday that Favre sent a text message to Packers GM Ted Thompson on Saturday -- and that Thompson's reply was that he is on vacation and the two men will have to talk later.

And Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site Monday that Thompson has ignored phone calls from Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, while sending an intermediary to Mississippi to talk to Favre. According to that report, Cook is expected to request that Favre be taken off the NFL's reserve/retired list within the next 10 days.

Last week, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Favre had communicated his potential desire to return to coach Mike McCarthy, but that talks had not advanced to a substantive stage, according to a Packers source. The source said the Packers would be reluctant to open the door for Favre because "Brett retired for the right reasons, even though I know his family is tugging on him [to play]."

And at least one Packers player said that Favre hasn't completely gotten the game out of his system.

Last week on ESPN's "NFL Live," Packers defensive back Al Harris said: "I've talked to Brett and I know he has the itch to come back and play. If he will or not, I don't know. But I know he's feeling he wants to play."

When asked how Favre expressed his desire to return, Harris said the quarterback said, "I got the itch."

Citing NFL sources, multiple media outlets in Wisconsin reported last week that Favre or his agent contacted the Packers about returning a few weeks ago and the conversation ended with the quarterback asking for his release. The team reportedly refused his request.

If Favre indeed decides to return, that would put the Packers in an awkward situation. The entire offseason has been spent preparing Aaron Rodgers to play quarterback to the point where "the offensive scheme has evolved," and psychologically closing the door on Favre's legendary 17-year career.

If Favre asked the Packers, in writing, to reinstate him to active status, the team would have to comply or release him.

Source: ESPN.com

[Walter Cronkite]

Favre seeks unconditional release from Packers, sources say

Three days after a conference call with Packers team officials in which quarterback Brett Favre emphatically expressed his desire to play in 2008, Favre on Friday formally asked by letter for his unconditional contractual release, sources close to Favre and the team said.

The letter was sent by Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, via overnight mail on Thursday and arrived at the Packers facility Friday morning.

Cook, on behalf of Favre, expressed a desire to have an amicable parting, as the Packers have been reluctant to embrace his return. Favre announced his retirement in early March.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy weren't available for comment Friday.

In a statement, the Packers said: "Brett earned and exercised the right to retire on his terms. We wanted him to return and welcomed him back on more than one occasion.

"Brett's press conference and subsequent conversations in the following weeks illustrated his commitment to retirement," the news release added. "The finality of his decision to retire was accepted by the organization. At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team."

During a conference call on Tuesday that included Thompson, McCarthy, Favre and Cook, sources say that the quarterback stated emphatically that he wanted to play again.

Favre was reminded by the Packers' brass that he said publicly and privately in March that he wasn't 100 percent committed to football, sources said. Favre acknowledged his state of mind at the time, but added that he never felt he was 100 percent committed in March of previous years, either. Favre felt he had to make a decision to retire because the Packers were pressing him for an answer, a source said.

During the conference call on Tuesday, neither Thompson nor McCarthy was openly receptive or enthused about Favre's desire to unretire, the sources said, prompting Favre to direct Cook to request his release from the team. Favre has three years remaining on his contract at a total of $39 million. He currently is on the reserve-retired list.

Favre prefers a mutual parting rather than have to force the Packers' hand by writing a letter to request his reinstatement to the active 80-man roster. Under league policy, the team would have to comply or release him.

Cook's letter did suggest that Favre's accomplishments for the franchise merited the team honoring his request to be released, also asking that the action be taken "with no strings attached." Favre does not want to be traded, sources said, because he wants the freedom of choice to play for another franchise.

Favre has been in communication with McCarthy during the past month about his desire to play but until this week had not spoken with Thompson.

Favre did not wish to speak publicly about his situation when approached while working out Friday morning at a local high school in Hattiesburg. He appeared to be in excellent physical condition and threw the ball with ease, even throwing it 50 yards "on a rope" with high school receivers. He has been throwing and running with the team for more than a month.

Favre was relaxed and in a positive frame of mind, joking and telling stories about himself, former teammates and coaches. He planned to continue working out next week.

Source: ESPN.com