Door Open for Favre to Return

From the files of The Story, And Person, That Just Wouldn’t Go Away comes the nugget that one Brett Lorenzo Favre has gained his release from the New York Jets, clearing the way for him to sign with any NFL team should he decide to unretire… again.

So, let’s say Favre gets the itch to play again, like he did this past offseason, and let’s say that the two-headed monster of Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels isn’t looking so hot over in Minnesota… well, you can add it up.

Favre’s agent, the meddlesome Bus Cook, has been requesting Favre’s release for several weeks now, according to ESPN. The man himself, however, says he has no plans on coming back… again.

“Nothing has changed,” Favre said in a statement. “At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football.”

So then why bother asking for your release?

What granting Favre’s release does is nullify the poison pill the Green Bay Packers had included in the deal that sent him to the New York Jets. Had the Jets traded Favre to a team within the NFC North, they would have owed the Packers three first round draft choices. By releasing Favre they owe the Packers nothing, should he decide to unretire… again, and sign with, say, the Minnesota Vikings.

The Jets, of course, nabbed USC quarterback Matt Sanchez in the NFL Draft, and have no further need for Favre. And even if they did have need, it would be nearly impossible to fit Favre’s $13 million salary under the salary cap.

While I’m sure we’d all like to believe that Favre is retired for good, I also know quite a few skeptics. However, there would be at least one obstacle to a Favre return, as ESPN’s Kevin Seifert points out.

Favre indicated in February that he would need surgery to repair his throwing shoulder if he ever played again. But I’m sorry, I just won’t believe he has totally and completely ruled out playing until the 2009 season ends without him on a roster.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Seifert is one of those skeptics. He continues:

Why couldn’t he just release a statement that says: “I am retired and will not play football again?” Here are my two explanations. Either:

1. He can’t bring himself to admit it.
2. He’s starting to feel the itch.

ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio also commented on the possibility of a Favre return.

Our guess?  If Favre decides that he’s intrigued by addition of Percy Harvin to a stable of playmakers that includes Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor (for now), and Bernard Berrian, Favre might feel very differently in late June than he did in late January regarding the question of whether his Second Annual Retirement should be his last one.

This is, for now, a far-fetched scenario, but we’ve all seen how Favre and Cook have played their hand in the past – deceptively, to say the least. When Brett Favre doesn’t play for a full NFL season, I will believe he’s retired.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for any “Brett Favre Has Surgery to Repair Shoulder” stories.

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Last updated on May 17th, 2015 at 12:19 pm