Will he or won’t he?
It has pretty much been a foregone conclusion around these parts that Lord Brett Favre would return for the 2010 season to play quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. But not so fast, apparently.
Steve Mariucci, Favre’s quarterbacks coach during his early years with the Green Bay Packers and close friend, says Favre’s ankle still hasn’t fully healed from last season. It’s something that has Favre questioning if he should play in 2010… or perhaps Favre just decided people weren’t paying enough attention to Favre, so he decided to throw that out there.
Either way, Favre is now squarely back in the spotlight he craves.
“He’s trying to heal up,” Mariucci said. “I talked to him a few days ago. His body is recovered except for that ankle. That’s not quite ready yet. It’s an ankle that he had surgery on twice before, and it’s still pretty puffy. You remember he came out of [the NFC Championship] game with the ankle and went back in, but it’s still swollen.”
“He’s trying to determine: Is his body telling him something here? Or is he going to be feeling better in due time.”
While there appears to be at least a slight chance Favre won’t play in 2010, the Vikings apparently aren’t worried about it.
“… he still hasn’t made up his mind, and the Vikings are not rushing him. That’s what’s a little bit crazy about it,” Mariucci said. “I thought maybe they’d say, ‘Listen, could you tell us by draft day, please, so we could determine where we’re going to go.’ But I don’t think their draft needs are having to do with Brett. Because I think they are OK at quarterback. If he plays or if he doesn’t play, it doesn’t matter. I think Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels will be there to play. They were supposed to be there last year to play.”
I’m just going to throw this out there – the Vikings are NOT the same team with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels playing quarterback as they are with Favre playing quarterback. If coach Brad Childress thinks they are, well, then he’s dumber than even I thought.
If Favre doesn’t return, the Packers become the odds-on favorite to win the NFC North.
Of course, Mike Florio reports that the Vikings aren’t worried about turning the team over to Tarvaris Jackson or anyone else because they think Favre will play two more seasons.
We’re told that, despite Favre’s silence, the Vikings think he’ll play two more years. If that’s the case, there’s no reason to begin grooming his replacement now.
If that’s the case, then great! The Packers will have plenty of opportunities to get revenge on Favre for getting revenge on them. You know?
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