Packers Take The High Road On Favre

If there’s any bitterness in the Green Bay Packers’ locker room about veteran quarterback Brett Favre’s anticipated return to the NFL with the division rival Minnesota Vikings, then the Packers did a good job of hiding that sentiment. Judging from the comments on Favre today, per the Associated Press, the Packers are being cautious in what they say about their former star quarterback. The general consensus was Favre should end his retirement if that’s what he feels like doing. “If Brett wants to play, then he should play,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “That’s kind of all I have to say about that. Other than that, he’s one player on one team that we play twice a year. . . . “I’m not going to speculate on things that haven’t happened yet. So when that happens, then I’ll give you a good answer.” Although Packers General Manager Ted Thompson, whom Favre has sharply criticized over the past few years, wasn’t quoted in the report, another high-ranking Packers executive struck a supportive stance when asked about Favre. Packers team president Mark Murphy’s answer was so similar to Rodgers’ remarks that it raises the question of whether some kind of script was passed around the headquarters. “If Brett wants to play, he should play,” Murphy said. “He’s very unique in that he’s almost 40 and he can still play. If he wants to, he should do it. “And we wish him the best. But we’re really focused on our team and getting ready for the season, and we feel pretty optimistic about the season we’re going to have.” Here’s a hunch: The Packers just might share the feelings of Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who recently lobbied Favre to lace up his cleats again and throw him a few of those patented off-balance interceptions. Meanwhile, the Vikings are practically rolling out the red carpet for Favre. Commenting on Favre’s HBO appearance, Vikings coach Brad Childress seemed eager to get Favre into the fold if his surgically repaired biceps tendon cooperates. “He said everything that he needed to say,” said Childress, per Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “He’s trying to make a push to get back. I know he won’t play unless he feels like he’s capable of playing at the level he’s played over the course of his career. “There’s no downside to good players. As far as distractions, if distractions are good football players, we’ll take all the distractions.” And Vikings owner Zygi Wilf broke his silence on Favre. “We will do the most we can to get players we need to be a better team,” Wilf said. “If that means Brett Favre or sombody else, we’ll go after them. We’ll just have to see. Right now, it’s all up to Brett Favre to determine what his future is.” Plus, Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian is licking his chops at the prospects of Favre orchestrating the Vikings’ West Coast offense. “If he’s on the team, we could be a very explosive offense,” said Berrian, per Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. “He can probably teach the offense. We have the right elements and all the tools.” Berrian said that Favre could be the missing piece that puts the Vikings over the top. “He definitely could be,” Berrian said. “You can’t argue that he wouldn’t. If he can throw the ball the way we know he can throw the ball, he definitely can be that final piece.”