Favre asks to be released

Brett Favre asked the Packers to release him so he can return to the NFL with another team after apparently being told his latest retirement reversal wasn’t welcome news in Green Bay.

The team said it would do “what’s right” in response to Favre’s request, which was first reported by ESPN.

“Brett earned and exercised the right to retire on his terms,” the team’s statement said.

“We wanted him to return and welcomed him back on more than one occasion. Brett’s press conference and subsequent conversations in the following weeks illustrated his commitment to retirement. The finality of his decision to retire was accepted by the organization. At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team.”

The 38-year-old Favre retired March 6 after a 17-year career, but almost immediately began dropping hints that he was having second thoughts.

The Packers statement said Favre now has the right to petition NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to be reinstated, at which point he would return to the team’s active roster.


In this Nov. 11, 2007 file pho…

AP - Jul 9, 4:07 pm EDT
But the statement did not specify what the Packers would do after that, beyond doing “what’s right and in the best interest of the team.”

If the team has committed to moving forward without Favre, their options once he was reinstated would include trading him to another team or releasing him so he would be free to sign with the team of his choice. The Packers already have committed to going with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a first-round pick in 2005 who has been sitting behind Favre for his first three seasons in the NFL.

Releasing Favre presents the possibility that he will sign with NFC North rivals Minnesota or Chicago, where he would be an upgrade over the incumbent QBs. If the Packers traded him, there would be teams outside the division such as Baltimore or Tampa Bay, and perhaps Washington, that would be interested. There also has been speculation he could go to Miami for disgruntled defensive end Jason Taylor, the 2006 defensive player of the year.

It would be an ugly end to what has been one of the most celebrated partnerships in recent NFL history.

“As with all Packers greats, Brett’s legacy will always be celebrated by our fans and the organization, regardless of any change in his personal intentions,” the statement said. “Brett and Deanna will always be a part of the Packers family.”

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Friday that sources close to Favre and the team told him agent James “Bus” Cook asked the Packers for Favre’s release in a letter because the Packers were not receptive to the idea of Favre wanting to play again.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

He is starting to sound like Roger Clemens

See, this is just annoying. Apparently, Favre expected the team to...what...grovel at his feet and beg him to PLEASE come BACK, Brett! But, they didn't so he 'demands' to be let go? Go away.

You know he wouldn't have been in this position if he'd quit play acting at retiring. Either play or retire and quit jerking peoples chain. I don't buy the bunk that he just has the desire/fire etc to keep playing. Probably crapped when he saw that the team took him at his word.

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Originally Posted by Arctic Blast

See, this is just annoying. Apparently, Favre expected the team to...what...grovel at his feet and beg him to PLEASE come BACK, Brett! But, they didn't so he 'demands' to be let go? Go away.

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Originally Posted by RickD

You know he wouldn't have been in this position if he'd quit play acting at retiring. Either play or retire and quit jerking peoples chain. I don't buy the bunk that he just has the desire/fire etc to keep playing. Probably crapped when he saw that the team took him at his word.

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I just don't see it this way. (Full Disclosure: No Packers OR Favre fan). But you two might just have it right on the head. And if you're right, then I totally agree. I hope they do the exact OPPOSITE of whatever he asks (or should I say demands?).

But I've been following this and knowing a little about the business (very, very little), I DO think maybe he was, I dunno if pressured is the right word, but "pushed" maybe??? I mean, does anyone else get that at least just a little bit??? And if he was, ahem, "pushed" aside, even slightly, then doesn't that really turn the quote/unquote BAD GUYS in this to be the Packers?? After all the years he gave them??

I dunno, but could some of you help me get or understand why Brett is the real "Bad Guy" in this one???

Please, I'm REALLY not trying to start an argument. This one really intrigues me. I mean, this guy is a HOF QB no???? Perhaps the best of his generation??? (Elway may have a word or two on that one, but that's another discussion, because I don't think the Broncos in any way "pushed" Elway one way or the other.)

Anyway, what I thought were total rumors now has me following it closely, and I'm not even that big a fan of football. In fact, I'm even beginning to wonder if this is not the very effect intended, because I really DON'T follow football that closely.

I actually like Favre, though his recent antics have been lowering my respect for him

I like Favre, am not a packers fan and I don't see how you can't like favre. Antics however????

Dude, the guys at the point where he wants to retire....the game wears on him and he thought he was certain he was ready to go. He changed his mind.....and has every right to do so. He will never have another opportunity to play this game again, and if he's learned his heart is still in it then he owes it to himself to try and go it again.

Do I think he was pushed? No. I think he didn't want to leave the team hanging like in the past and pushed himself into trying to make a quick decision.

Is it wrong to asked to be released? No. If the team has said they would prefer you not to come back, nothing wrong with asking for a release. The team COULD say no....and has every right to do so. Yes the Packers are in a lose/lose situation, but Favre shouldn't sacrifice his last years if he's decided he still wants to play. The Packers just have to suck it up and stop whining. Now its them that has to sh!t or get off the pot.

I am truly surprised with all the Favre hatred. Nobody should be made to retire....and I know he wasn't made to initially but he's said now that he wants to continue playing. Good enough for me, go get em Favre and I wish him the best of luck.

OFG : The thing is, Favre sort of cryptically hinted that MAYBE he'd like to come back...silence came from the Packers organization, then his next official communication is that he wants them to release him. That's why I kinda wonder where this is coming from. I mean, you sort of pussyfoot around, now suddenly you're demanding your release in to free agency? That's a rather large jump to take, UNLESS you expected them to come running back. And the team would be completely mad to let him go...considering both the Bears and Vikings in their own DIVISION would have STRONG interest, and would LOVE to bring him in just to put it in Green Bay's face.

The most likely move is still a trade...I'll be curious to see how eager he suddenly is to make a comeback when his rights are about to be moved to the Miami Dolphins. :rolleyes: (Though, with Jon Gruden's apparent need to keep building a quarterback collection in Tampa, that actually could be a possibility. So could Atlanta, which would be kinda interesting, since that's where his career started).

dickay : I have been a Favre fan (like you said, how can you NOT like watching the guy play?), but I really don't understand his machinations, here. How does he go from hinting at a comeback to grumpily demanding his release within a few days? And with the Packers doing nothing that would seem to cause that sort of a jump? I really don't know what's going through his head. You wanna come back, fine, that's your right...but you can't expect everyone to immediately drop everything in 2 minutes because King Favre demands it.

I have been a die hard favre and Packer fan for all my life. I love Favre but I have to admit this is getting ridicoulos. I want Favre to come back, but I totally understand the Packers issue. Ted Thompson is in a big mess. Favre should have never announced he was going to retire. This is getting really hard to deal with. I was devasted when Favre retired. Just starting to get over it. Now this... Unbelievable.

Like I said, I don't have a huge issue with the comeback, I just don't understand why he's making everything so adversarial.

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How does he go from hinting at a comeback to grumpily demanding his release within a few days? And with the Packers doing nothing that would seem to cause that sort of a jump? I really don't know what's going through his head. You wanna come back, fine, that's your right...but you can't expect everyone to immediately drop everything in 2 minutes because King Favre demands it.

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Do you really believe that all the correspondence between these two has been public? Or that all the info the media is throwing at us is completely true? Cmon now, surely there is more to this. If, and I should emphasise 'if' favre is 'demanding' a release (which I haven't read) than surely its because of a breakdown during talks with the Packers.

Nothing wrong with him wanting to play again...I find it interesting that so many are siding with the Packers thinking they have all the information and Favre is in the wrong.

Dickay, your post #7 says it all for me(except that I am a Packers
fan). Well stated!

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Originally Posted by dickay

Do you really believe that all the correspondence between these two has been public? Or that all the info the media is throwing at us is completely true? Cmon now, surely there is more to this. If, and I should emphasise 'if' favre is 'demanding' a release (which I haven't read) than surely its because of a breakdown during talks with the Packers.

Nothing wrong with him wanting to play again...I find it interesting that so many are siding with the Packers thinking they have all the information and Favre is in the wrong.

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From a fan's standpoint I hope the Packers don't release him. The thought of him in a Bears or Vikings jersey makes me want to throw up in my mouth. I just read the article in the paper, it appears that the relationship between Favre and McCarthy & Thompson has broken down. I don't know if we'll ever get the whole story. I would like Favre to hold a news confrence or the packers to hold a news confrenece so there can be some kind of explanation.

Favre is an incredible QB and that's hard to admit for a Bears fan but every season the last few years he plays the will he or won't he game. Finally he bites the bullet and retires. The team moves on then he "changes" his mind.....he has that right but the team made plans when he retired, they are under no obligation to bring him back. I would however not release him but see what you can get in a trade.

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Originally Posted by MichelleWie

From a fan's standpoint I hope the Packers don't release him. The thought of him in a Bears or Vikings jersey makes me want to throw up in my mouth. I just read the article in the paper, it appears that the relationship between Favre and McCarthy & Thompson has broken down. I don't know if we'll ever get the whole story. I would like Favre to hold a news confrence or the packers to hold a news confrenece so there can be some kind of explanation.

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Now that is a very fair post. As a fan I think its fair to say this, and the Packers could simply let him rot if they choose. It is a no-win for the Pack. It is also fair to say that you wish Favre had told the team earlier of his intentions. I don't think its fair to beat Favre up for wanting to continue his career however.