Favre calling it a career
MANKATO, Minn. — With everyone assuming Brett Favre was returning for a 20th NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings were enjoying a relatively calm and quiet training camp as they started preparations for another run at the Super Bowl.
All that tranquillity, and certainty, is out the window now.
Favre has told some teammates and Vikings officials that his surgically repaired left ankle is not healing the way he would like it to and that he will not return to Minnesota this season.
"He told a couple guys on our team he's going to retire," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said after practice Tuesday. "He hasn't told me yet. I'm going to check my phone right now, but it hasn't been said publicly yet so I don't know what to believe."
Even with Favre's history of flip-flopping, the revelations came as a surprise to most surrounding the Vikings. They reported to training camp last week confident that after they wrapped things up in Mankato Aug. 12, Favre would join them in the Twin Cities — just as he did last season.
But Favre's messages to teammates turned things upside down on a sweltering day. Owner Zygi Wilf, vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman and vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski were seen huddling during practice in long discussions.
Head coach Brad Childress said after the morning practice that he had not been directly contacted by Favre and called the 40-year-old quarterback's status with the team "fluid." Childress has shown a great deal of patience with Favre, saying he would not set a deadline for a decision and allowing him to skip training camp for a second straight year.
"It wouldn't surprise me one way or the other, whether he elects to play or whether he elects to retire," Childress said. "I think all of us can live with it either way. The big thing is that he is at peace with it."
With Favre, of course, there is always the chance that he changes his mind, and that's what the Vikings are hoping for yet again. He told the Vikings last year he wouldn't play, but ultimately ended up joining them after they broke training camp. Childress even drove to the airport to pick him up for his 19th NFL season.
Favre and his agent, Bus Cook, did not return messages from The Associated Press, and most players aren't taking Favre's messages as definitive just yet.
"I love Brett and he reserves the right to do what he wants to do," defensive end Jared Allen said. "We obviously love him as a teammate. We'd like to have him back. But until it's official, I'll believe it when I see it."
