Brett Favre is messing with his legacy.

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By Bill Smith

Several sources are reporting that Brett Favre is going to meet with the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff this week. It is a stupid move for Favre because it is the one thing he could do that will damage his reputation. Favre has seen Dr. Andrews and is considering surgery that would enable him to be ready to play in training camp. This is another signal that he is considering a comeback.

If he decides to come back and play, he will have again un-retired. But this time it is different. At the beginning of the 2008 season, it was the Packers and not Favre that decided that his services were no longer required. If he come back to play again, he will have broken his word to his fans and the media. His greatest fans will be hurt but will forgive him. The media will be less forgiving.

When he came back he hurt the Jets and it took a gift by Cleveland to get the team out of the mess that signing Favre created. The Jets had a QB that fit Coach Mangini’s offense perfectly. Chad Pennington was extremely accurate in the short and medium throws that the game plan was based on. Against the advice of Mangini, ownership decided to make a splash by signing Favre. Then salary cap considerations forced the team to cut Pennington. Pennington was signed by division foe Miami and the rest is history. After a disastrous last 5 games of the season, Favre was history as well and the Jets fired Mangini. After all, even ownership needs a scape goat.

Favre was injured in the last half of the season and for that reason gets some forgiveness for his poor performance.

Sports fans have a short memory. Like most humans, it is what happened last that sticks in our minds. It will be hard to forget how Favre looked during the collapse of the Jets, particularly in the game against Miami and Pennington. Had the Jets not been able to get the bargain basement price to move up from 17 to 5 in the draft from their former HC, the team would have been sucking bilge water for years. Favre’s availability would have been the cause.

Then there is his legacy in Green Bay. Right now, the Packer fans would welcome Favre back to retire his jersey and put him into the Packer Hall of Fame. If, however, Favre ever plays for the rival Vikings, that love will will turn to hate. Favre would irreparably damage his legacy with any fans of the Pack.

However, if he comes back and plays for the Vikings, he had better be very good. If he is not much better than he played for the Jets in that 5 game run, he will destroy his legacy. The Vikes would have been the second team in 2 years that he disrupted and failed to lead to the playoffs. The Vikes are now ready to win. They have one of the top defenses in the league, an outstanding running game and enough talent on the O line to protect a passer. There will be no excuse for failing to win with the Vikes.

He will also turn any camp he goes to will make the Raiders camp look organized. Like the Jets, he will divide the locker room, draw reporters like mosquitoes to a camping trip, and make getting things done impossible.

Favre is a Hall of Fame player. But with another disaster like the Jets Favre risks no longer be automatically be mentioned with the great QBs in league history. That means a lot to players like While some player like Jim Brown quit at the height of their careers, others stay too long. We all remember those great athletes that are a joke at the end of their careers. Favre’s time is over. Let’s hope that he realizes that.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for and edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and edits .

My email is [email protected].

Technorati Tags: Favre,nfl,Packers,Vikings,Jets,Mangini,Pennington,Hall of Fame,Browns
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4 thoughts on “Brett Favre is messing with his legacy.”

  1. Looks like he decided to stay retired…for now.

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  2. i don’t really care if brett comes back to play, he still will break records

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    • I think he’s too old and won’t stay with a team long enough to get comfortable with the receivers to make a big contribution.

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  3. Favre needs to get a new job. Something involving football. Go coach quarterbacks at your old college. Stay away from the NFL.

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