Favre must file letter to show for Packers camp By CHRIS JENKINS, AP Sports Writer Sat Jul 26, 3:03 AM ET http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080726...ckers_favre;_ylt=ArqoOg2SxJ9f9ap6WO2GuQOs0NUE MILWAUKEE - If Brett Favre plans to show for the Green Bay Packers' training camp, he'll need permission from the NFL. And as of Friday evening, he had not petitioned the league for reinstatement. NFL spokesman Randall Liu said the league did not receive a letter from Favre on Friday. The step is considered a formality, but an important one: Favre can't return until commissioner Roger Goodell receives and approves the request. The NFL Network reported earlier Friday that Favre told Packers general manager Ted Thompson he plans to report to training camp and could file his reinstatement letter as early as Friday, a move perhaps designed to force the team to quickly trade the three-time MVP. Speculation on a potential new home for Favre has centered on Tampa Bay, but the New York Jets also emerged as a potential trade partner for the Packers. Jets quarterback Chad Pennington said Friday that general manager Mike Tannenbaum told him the team has talked to the Packers about Favre. It didn't sound like Tannenbaum assured Pennington that the Jets aren't interested. "Bottom line, an organization has to take a look at every player available in this league. Period," Pennington said. "A general manager and a head coach is going to do everything they can do to make their team as good as they can make it. That's their job." Tannenbaum would not confirm conversations with the Packers. Pennington, who already is competing with Kellen Clemens for the starting job in Jets camp, said he wasn't overreacting to the Jets' potential trade for Favre. "My whole focus is on this camp," Pennington said. "Winning this starting quarterback battle, so I don't really have any thoughts. It's part of the business: speculation, calls, one organization calling another about players. There's nothing to be said. As a player, you never react until it's actually done." Earlier Friday, Jets coach Eric Mangini dodged questions about the team's interest in Favre. "I'm happy with the quarterbacks we have and we look at a lot of different scenarios every night," Mangini said. "And trust me when I tell you that we look into a lot of different scenarios every night. It's just normal operating procedure for us." That's just about the only thing normal in the ongoing saga surrounding Favre's football future. And if he follows through with his intention to show up to camp, Favre would likely become an even bigger distraction to a team that's spent the past several offseasons dealing with his constant waffling on whether to retire. The Packers committed to moving on with Aaron Rodgers after Favre retired in early March, led them to believe he was coming back in late March, then decided to stay retired ? until he apparently changed his mind once again in recent weeks. Packers players are scheduled to move into their dorm rooms on Saturday, and their first team meeting is scheduled for Sunday morning. Their first practice is Monday morning. Team officials did not immediately return telephone calls from The Associated Press. Packers coach Mike McCarthy is scheduled to address the media on Saturday. In an interview with Fox News last week, Favre said it was "tempting" to show up to Packers camp to call the Packers' "bluff." But, Favre added: "I don't want to go back there just to stick it to them." Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy reiterated Thursday that if Favre were to return to the Packers, it would be in "a different role" ? presumably not as the starter. "But what's going to happen if that occurs, we'll have to look and see the situation at the time," Murphy said, speaking with reporters after Thursday's Packers shareholders meeting. "That's a little bit of a technicality. But I guess there's two questions. We have said we would welcome him back. But whether he will come back is another question. And a lot of it goes back to, we want to work with Brett, and be fair to him and help give him what he wants," Once Favre's request to be reinstated is approved by the commissioner, the Packers must place him on their active roster or release him. Thompson has said the team has no plans to release Favre. The Packers have filed tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings, suspecting that interest from their division rival was the main reason Favre suddenly changed his mind on retirement. Favre's rights belong to the Packers until his contract expires after the 2010 season. Favre ripped Thompson during the interview for being untruthful with him on a series of personnel moves in recent years. But Murphy said Thursday he didn't think a potential return by Favre would cause tension within the team. "I don't think so," Murphy said. "We have such respect for Brett and what he's meant to this organization, there will be no tension. But that's a call that Ted and Mike have to make." ___
I don't think Tampa Bay is a legitimate possibility. First of all, Gruden runs a tricky west coast offense that doesn't fit favre's style at all and takes quite a while to learn. (Even Jeff Garcia, who had been in a west coast offense his entire career, reported struggling to learn the system when he came to the bucs before last season) Secondly, the Packers have stated on more than one occasion that they would NOT trade Brett Favre to a team that they played this year. (The Packers play in Tampa on week 4) Thirdly, I don't think Favre would have that much interest in Tampa, they are a team with a dearth of talent on the offensive side of the ball. I think the Jets clearly have the better receiving core and the better combination of offensive line/running backs. And since whoever does decide to trade for Favre will most assuredly want to talk with him first and make sure he really wants to be there, I think it is unlikely that the Bucs will seriously pursue him following their conversation with him.
you do not know what your talking about!! gruden's offense is very similar to what favre has played in, much more so than the jets offense. and tampa was a playoff team last year, given the choice between the jets and tampa, reallistically who do you think he would choose to play for??
im putting money on it that he either doesnt ever apply to be reinstated or does and then doesnt show up to camp and doesnt get traded and in a couple weeks re-retires.
i'm thinking this is a lot of hype, over nothing. Can't say that it isn't exciting, though. If Farve does come to play for us, there would be so much pressure on him to be a messiah, i'm not sure he'd want to have that on his shoulders. especially at 38yo. i'm sure he knows how the NY/NJ media would eat him up, if he doesn't bring us to , at least, an AFC championship.
there's no way favre is coming here, the jets are going to be played to bring the pricetag up on tampa
Okay, I would like to stop one point of debate, if at all possible: Is this whole Bret Favre thing the most ridiculous and unnecessary drama you have ever seen in the NFL, or what? Don't forget, this is the same guy who spent about 20 full minutes boo-hooing and crying his widdle eyes out after he finally retired... Don't get me wrong, I think he'd be a good QB for the NY Jets. But, still... His "Boo hoo! Waah!" when he retired was more than a bit too much, don't you think? In fact, it makes me wonder if the Jets should sign him. "Waah! Wahh! Waaaaah!!! I'm quitting football!" "I wanna play football again!" He's like Tommy from the Who's rock opera: "Sign me! Play me! Love me! Release me!" Gawd, what a drama queen this guy is!
