Brett Favre Is Back…. Are You At All Suprised?

It’s official. Brett Favre is now a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

Rumors ran wild this morning of Favre and his wife boarding a private plane that was heading for St. Paul, and the situation escalated from there. Vikings head coach Brad Childress confirmed earlier today that the Vikings will sign Favre, and No.4 arrived in St. Paularound 1:00pm EST.

The contract is reportedly a 2-year deal worth $10-12 million for the first season. The second year of the deal is likely there for salary cap reasons rather than it being a commitment from Favre that he will also play in 2010. Prior to the signing of Favre, Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson were engaged in a competition to see who would earn the right to become the Vikings starting quarterback. R0senfels looked to have the best shot at becoming a starter, especially after completing 10-of-13 passes for 93 yards in the team’s first preseason game, against the Indianapolis Colts. With Favre’s arrival, Rosenfels likely will become the No.2 quarterback, withJackson as the No.3.

The Vikings had been courting Favre for weeks, only to find out that he was going to stay retired. But now that he has decided to return, it’s entirely possible that the Vikings had a deal “under the table” with Favre so that he could become a member of the team after training camp. After all, Favre has never displayed a love for camp. Now that the Vikings have broken camp and the preseason is underway, Favre is now a member of the team.

According to ESPN’s Cris Carter, Favre will start for the Vikings on Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game will be played inMinnesota, where the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome is sure to be filled with loads of anticipation. The Vikings have one of the best rosters in all of football, but the quarterback was always a question mark. That question has now been answered, as Favre is expected to produce big time for the Vikings. Minnesota runs the West Coast offense, a system Favre thrived in while playing with the Green Bay Packers.

Much of the reason Favre is returning to the NFL likely has to do with getting revenge on the Packers, who didn’t want Favre to return to the team in the summer of 2008 after Favre had first retired. He ultimately was traded to the New York Jets, where the team failed to make the playoffs. Reports emerged after Favre retired again that he never established a chemistry with teammates and separated himself from the group. There likely won’t be any problems in Minnesota, however, because the Vikings players apparently had been begging Favre to come and play for the team.

Since the learning curve for Favre in Minnesota doesn’t appear to be great, the biggest obstacle will be quickly establishing chemistry with teammates. That effort is already underway, as Favre has stepped onto the practice field with the Vikings.

While questions still remain about Favre’s health, it is hard to imagine he would return unless he was fully healthy. ESPN’s Ed Werder reported earlier today that Favre has a torn rotator cuff and the Vikings are aware of the injury, but it appears to be only a minor injury.

Should Favre stay healthy, one reason the signing could pay dividends is the fact that he won’t have to carry the load for the Vikings offense. Running back Adrian Peterson is arguably the best in the league at his position, and the bulk  of the offense will center around him. Favre will also have a talented group of skills players to work with besides Peterson, including receivers Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin, as well as tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Minnesota was already a favorite to win the NFC North, and those odds have increased with the addition of Favre. Conveniently for Favre, the Vikings toughest divisional opponent will be the Packers. Both of those games will be appointment viewing, especially when Favre and the Vikings travel to Lambeau Field in Week 8, a game that will take place November 1. The kind of reception Favre receives will be fascinating to watch. When Favre was traded to Jets last summer, some Packers fans bought Favre’s Jets jersey to show their love. But the fact that he is now a member of one of the Packers’ rivals undoubtedly changes everything. Scouring Packers blogs on the internet, there is a portion of fans who will always love No.4 because of how much he meant to Green Bay. There are also those who believe he has now tarnished his legacy as a Packer.

The Vikings first game against the Packers come at Week 5, a Monday Night Football game on October 5. Tickets for that game will be at a premium. On StubHub.com, the cheapest ticket available is currently $179, which is well above face value.

A press conference announcing the move is scheduled for 6:00pm EST. I’ll be posting some comments from Favre afterwards.

It’s Time For The Vikings To Move On

Brad Childress poked, prodded, and did everything he could to lure one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history to come and save the Minnesota Vikings season. Childress and the Vikings brass risked a whole lot with the pursuit, basically telling the Vikings current QBs — Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels — that the team felt it didn’t have enough at the position.

On Tuesday, things changed dramatically for the Vikings, as Brett Favre informed that the team that he would not be coming out of retirement to play in Minnesota. Siting health, both mental and physical, as the reason for his decision, it left many around the league stunned. Favre had surgery on his torn biceps months ago, which at the time seemed to be a clear indication that he was intending to come back. Why else would he want to have surgery? So that he could operate his tractor easier? Favre was also seen working out with local high school players in Hattiesburg. Again, did anyone believe he was throwing the football around for fun, or to test his arm? Even though he did all of this, he never officially told the Vikings he was going to come back. In fact, he reportedly told the Vikings a week ago he was not going to make a return, which subsequently resulted in a number of Vikings veterans placing phone calls to Favre, trying to convince him to return.

The Vikings put all the pressure in the world on Favre to make a return. The pursuit of Favre quickly began to feel like a something that was going to make or break the 2009 season for the Vikings, especially with the way players were talking about not just wanting Favre, but needing him.

Jackson and Rosenfels are question marks at the position. The team was good last season with Jackson at the helm, but he was arguably the sole reason that the Vikings were not able to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles at home in the NFC Wild Card Game. Jackson doesn’t have the arm strength of most No.1 QBs in the NFL, and he isn’t exceptionally accurate. Rosenfels, meanwhile, was traded to Minnesota prior to the draft and had been a career backup in Houston. It’s easy to see why the prospects of going into the season with the Rosenfels and Jackson didn’t look appealing to anyone in the Minnesota front office. With either of the two, the team would be good. But with Favre, they had the potential to be great. He was, in the eyes of Childress, the missing piece to possibly the championship puzzle.

But Favre said no. After all the workouts and throwing sessions and all of the discussions with Childress and Vikings players, Favre decided to remain retired. Whether it truly was his health, or all of the pressure he was sure to face in Minnesota — that doesn’t matter anymore.  What does matter is the Vikings trying to win football games, and in order for that to happen like the fans, coaches and owner Zygi Wilf want it to happen, the Vikings must move on from Favre.

Remember, the Vikings are not a team that is simply trying to make the playoffs in 2009. They did that last season, and it ended with a disappointing loss to the Eagles. Moreover, they’re not looking for a division title — they also accomplished that feat last season. What they are looking for is a deep playoff run, culminating in a trip to Miami for the Super Bowl. Though Childress and the Vikings felt they needed Favre to have an opportunity to reach all of their goals, everything is still within their grasp.

Training camp will be very important for the Vikings and Childress, who must mend relationships with Jackson and Rosenfels. Both were under the assumption during minicamps and OTAs that they would be competing for the starting job come August — and they will be. But the pursuit of Favre likely ruffled a few feathers, especially Jackson, who likely feels that the team has little confidence in him. Rosenfels was signed for three years and $9 million, meaning he was brought in because the Vikings believed he had the chance to win the job. Both certainly have the right to be a little perturbed, but they don’t have the right to be downright furious. All Childress was doing was trying to improve the football team, and it’s hard to fault him for that. They have to put all of that behind them now, because the Vikings need one to step up and lead them to the promise land.

Looking at the Vikings roster, they have a great opportunity to make a run this season. For starters, the NFC is as wide open as ever. No team is the consensus favorite, and opinions vary greatly on which team has the best chance to be playing in Miami in February. Secondly, and most importantly, the Vikings have the best running back in the league, bar none, in Adrian Peterson. With him in the backfield, it’s hard to discount the Vikings chances. On offense, the Vikings added a playmaker in wide receiver Percy Harvin through the draft. Harvin skills are wide-ranging, and he should be counted on to be a heavy contributor as the season wears on. Also, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe is a rising star at the position, and his role in the offense should expand, no matter who is lining up under center.

Defensively, the Vikings have one of the best units in the league, led by defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams. Defensive end Jared Allen is excellent at getting to the passer, and the team’s secondary is solid. Though they lost longtime safety Darren Sharper, they recently locked up cornerback Antoine Winfield for five more seasons. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is quickly making a name for himself, and he really has a chance to show what he can do this season.

The Vikings swung and missed on Favre, yes, but someone is still going to have to play quarterback. The position is going to have to improve for the team to succeed, there’s no doubt about that. Whoever wins the job will need to play exceptionally well to quiet the doubters, and there will be many of them.

With or without Brett Favre, the Vikings season is going to commence on September 13. It’s time for everyone in the organization to move on from No.4, and start the trek toward championship No. 1.

Finally, The Favre Saga Is Over (Maybe)

After months of reporters camping out in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, waiting for the latest news on a retired NFL quarterback looking to possibly return to the league — for the third time — the Brett Favre saga has ended, for now.

Earlier Tuesday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress had said that Favre would not be making a comeback. Favre later confirmed the news to ESPN.

Favre had set a self-imposed deadline for a decision on whether to return for July 30, which is when the Vikings open up training camp. If Favre were to be an affective QB for the Vikings, he would need to be in camp, interacting with his new teammates and building chemistry with his wide receivers. Though reports recently emerged that the Vikings had no deadline set for Favre, the fact that Favre followed through and came up with a decision before the start of camp was a nice gesture.

The pressure was mounting on Favre to come to a conclusion, as football fans had become sick of the story. Favre has been contemplating retirement for the last seven years now, and the back-and-forth that he has played with the media has worn on the emotions of not just fans directly effected by his decisions, but with fans everyone. When Favre conducted a teary-eyed press conference a few months after the Green Bay Packers heartbreaking loss to the New York Giants in the 2008 NFC Championship, the world assumed he was done for good. Just a few weeks later, however, Favre indicated that he was getting the itch to return to the game. When he decided that he wanted to return to Green Bay, the Packers had already moved on, giving the starting QB job to Aaron Rodgers. Drama ensued, with Favre reportedly wanting to play for the Vikings. The Packers would not let that happen since it was a division rival, and promptly traded him to the Jets.

The bright lights of New York never appeared to become comfortable for Favre, but he played well enough to get the Jets off to an 8-3 start. The Jets tailed off at the end of the season, however, with Favre being the key reason for the dropoff. Favre retired after the season, and once again it looked like his career was over.

Then, Favre was released from the Jets, giving him the ability to sign with any team in the league, should he so choose. The Vikings quickly became the first and only option, and months of posturing between the two sides followed. But the back-and-forth has now ended. Favre is finally done tormenting with the Vikings. His comments to ESPN show that this well-likely could be the end of a fascinating career.

“It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Favre said. “I didn’t feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable. I would like to thank everyone, including the Packers, Jets and Vikings — but, most importantly, the fans.”

Even with those comments, this is Brett Favre we are talking about. He could once again get the itch to play in the NFL, and the back-and-forth could be back on. He told NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci that he will still throw and work out. This story may be over, and it may not be over. With Brett Favre, it’s hard to truly know.

Later, we’ll be diving further into Favre’s career and his place in NFL history, as well as where the Vikings go from here.

The Brett Favre Saga

As we enter the dark period in the NFL summer — the month right after minicamps and just before training camps — fans and writers alike tend to reach out to left field to find topics to discuss. Topics have been much easier to find this summer, just as it will be this summer. That is because we have Brett Favre, who has trouble deciding whether or not he should remain retired. Favre, one of the best QBs in NFL history, loves the game too much to walk away, though he has done so twice now under the belief that he had nothing left to give.

And so writers and fans have beaten to death the Favre “will he or won’t he?” story. That’s what happens when there is nothing else to talk about. 2008 was the “Summer of Favre,” and 2009 is quickly joining the party.

Favre, after being released by the New York Jets on April 28, is a free-agent, meaning he is able to sign with whichever team he chooses. Last season, Favre was still a member of the Green Bay Packers — he was on the reserve/retired list. When Favre began to indicate that he wanted to come back last summer, the Packers were against the idea since they had already given the starting QB job to Aaron Rodgers, who watched and learned from Favre for three seasons. At that point, Favre asked for his release, which the Packers immediately rejected. Instead, the Packers looked for trade partners. Because of the way the Packers handled the situation, Favre’s preferred choice was the Minnesota Vikings, the team’s division rival. Favre, however, was traded to the Jets.

After playing for a season with New York and nearly leading them to the playoffs, he once-again retired, and now we are back to a similar situation that we had last year, only different. Now, Favre can go play for the Vikings. Ever since the Favre-return talks began last summer, the Vikings have shown interest. Favre spoke with Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell — a good friend — during that summer, which led to tampering allegations.

It’s The Gift That Keeps On Ticking And Giving….Well It Is If You’re A Long Time Favre Fan

As much as I’m an avid NFL fan. I take little of note in the ongoing saga that is Brett Favre. He’s now become a one man soap opera that essentially has become the bread and butter for the likes of ESPN and their round the clock reporting on the latest details concerning the player.

Vikings' season ticket holders listen to a panel of Vikings' personnel discuss the upcoming season at a press conference convened in Minneapolis , Minnesota. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Craig Warren......

And it’d appear that for all sense and purpose the Minnesota Vikings are quite prepared to hitch their reins to the aged veteran. It speaks little of their faith in the team’s incumbent quarterback in Tavaris Jackson. But then again that too is understandable. The player has struggled to find his footing within the league. Albeit that he’s now in his third year as a player but has yet to come into his own as a starter.

And for coach Brad Childress this may well be seen as a last ditch attempt by the franchise to actually make something of themselves. Widely considered to be amongst the favorites to make it to the NFC championship game last season. The Vikings having clinched the NFC North posting a 10-6 record, merely showed that they weren’t up to the task of being legitimately considered a postseason contender. Their postseason ambitions came to an abrupt end against the wild card berthed Philadelphia Eagles, with an unspiring performance in a 26-14 loss at the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. That being said the way that the Eagles perfomed on the day. One seriously doubts that the Vkings had what it’d take to be their conferenc rivals. They played some inspired football and the Eagles’ Brian Westbrook had a career day against a Vikings’ defense that was found wanting.

Vikings' owner Zygi Wilf(left) seated alongside team coach Brad Childress with VP of Player Personnel Rick Spielman and player Chad Greenway take questions from the Vikings' season ticket holders . One of the main topics of discussion was the possible acquisition of retired quarterback Brett Favre. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Michael Washington ..............

This upcoming season the team had what they believe to be a saitisfactory draft in terms of their picks. And with them having picks in the first , second , third, fifth and seventh rounds. They made sure that they bolstered their roster with the players they felt could contribute the team . Their most prized acquisition may well have been that of Florida Gator wideout Percy Harvin. A player with explosive presence and play. Albeit that along with the player there comes questions as to his attitude and other off the field issues. But all that may well be overlooked if he can replicate any of the form shown as when he played on the national championship winning team. Especially if he’s able to assist the Vikings’ versatile running back Adrian Peterson.

Vikings' quarterback Tavaris Jackson (7) watches as fellow quartetrback and temmate Sage Rosensels (2) throws a pass during mini camp at the team's training facility in Eden Prairie , Minn,. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Aaron Breslin .......................

But with each passing moment that the clock ticks away. The more we’re now being held hostage by the antics of Favre. Over the past few seasons. It has been his custom that as the season ends , he makes that farewell announcement that he’s about to leave the game. Unfortunately for us there has yet to be a finality to this all. Last season it was no different as he exited stage left having left the New York Jets. There too we saw all of the traits that’ve become customary as to his play. There were moments of brilliance but then more often than not there were moments which indicated that his best days are now long gone and far behind him. His was the tendency wherein if all else failed . He’d resort to becoming the gunslinger with the errant arm. And it led to his and the Jets’ demise with the preponderance of turnovers and the sheer ineptitude shown by the team under Eric Mangini’s guidance.