Packers News

"Poor Roger Goodell. No one promised him a rose garden, certainly not Paul Tagliabue, but he expected to at least have some idea where the trouble might come from. When Goodell was named as just the fourth NFL commissioner in six decades in August 2006, he certainly anticipated some wayward lads who now and then liked to have a little too much fun in saloons and on party boats. Sure, there were always going to be the sad cases of DUIs, weapons violations and the occasional drug bust. And there would always be a few front offices that would test him with some razzle-dazzle circumvention of the salary cap. But for the love of Vince Lombardi - Brett Favre? How could anyone - least of all ..."

"Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress wouldn't address Green Bay's accusations that he and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell had tampered with retired Packers quarterback Brett Favre. But when asked today whether he had talked to Favre, as cell phone records reportedly indicated, Childress said, "You can't believe everything you read, but that's an NFL matter. I'm not going to touch that one" Childress arrived in Mankato today for training camp."

"Vikings veteran Pat Williams said the Green Packers should let Brett Favre move on. Coach Brad Childress said people shouldn't believe every story they read regarding Favre. Cornerback Antoine Winfield said he thinks Favre would be a great addition to the Vikings, though he doubts it would ever happen. On the day the Vikings reported for training camp at Minnesota State Mankato, the Favre speculation remained at the forefront Wednesday, though players said it's not a distraction. Williams said that because Favre has played almost 20 years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl for Green Bay, the Packers should honor his request to part ways. "If the guy wants to go, just let the guy go," said ..."

"Give Antoine Winfield credit for honesty. As the majority of Vikings players attempt to steer clear of saying if they would like to see Brett Favre in purple, the cornerback made it clear Wednesday the future Hall of Fame quarterback would be a welcome addition. "I think it would be a great move for us, but I don't know if Green Bay would trade him to a division rival," Winfield said. "Favre is still a great player. That's what you want to do in this league is add as many great players as you can. I think Tarvaris will do a great job for us if it doesn't happen." Tarvaris, of course, is Vikings starter Tarvaris Jackson. The quarterback was one of several veterans who did not report to ..."

"If Jason Taylor and Jeremy Shockey could be traded this week, certainly there is hope for a Brett Favre deal. But trading Favre is a more complicated proposition than trading Taylor and Shockey ever could have been. First of all, the timing is not good. You can eliminate the majority of NFL teams from consideration for the same reason the Packers are not exactly doing the "Beer Barrel Polka" over the possibility of Favre returning. That is, they have made other plans and are well into the process of executing them. By this point of the year most teams have talked themselves into believing they are content with their quarterbacks. "We like Chris Redman," they say. Many of them will like ..."

"For the first time this off-season, the Green Bay Packers and the agent for running back Ryan Grant have had substantive talks about a long-term contract. Nevertheless, Grant is holding firm that he won't report to training camp if an agreement isn't reached. Grant's agent, Alan Herman, said Wednesday that the two sides finally got down to business last Friday and have spoken almost every day since in an attempt to hammer out a contract. Herman didn't think the sides were all that far apart, but there were some fundamental differences keeping the deal from getting done. "You would think that it would not be that difficult to get done," Herman said. "I think we're trying to do that. ..."

"As the Green Bay Packers continue to make calls to prospective trading partners in hopes of dealing Brett Favre before training camp opens, new evidence has emerged in the team's tampering case against the Minnesota Vikings regarding the semi-retired quarterback. Two NFL sources said Wednesday that, in addition to cell-phone records of calls between Favre and Minnesota coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, the club also claims Favre sent text messages back-and-forth with the two Vikings coaches. In the aftermath of Favre asking for his outright release July 11, the Packers accused the Vikings of tampering with Favre by engaging in "inappropriate dialogue" with ..."

"The Green Bay Packers announced the signings of three draft picks: tackle Breno Giacomini, quarterback Matt Flynn and receiver Brett Swain.

Giacomini was a fifth-round pick in April’s draft, while Flynn and Swain both were seventh-round selections. They are the first of the Packers’ nine draft picks to sign their contracts. However, negotiations with the rest of the picks have been on going and should be completed by the time training camp practices begin on Monday."

"Vikings players will report to training camp today in Mankato. Brett Favre, it's safe to say, won't be there. If the Vikings are going to return to the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2004, the players already on the roster must be responsible for it. They can't worry about the daily Favre updates that surface in the media and whether he could push them over the top."

"As if replacing a legend weren't tough enough, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers faces an even more difficult challenge. He's replacing Brett Favre, a legend who wants to come out of retirement and play again. But Rodgers isn't the only young quarterback under pressure this season. As training camps open all over the NFL this week, a host of signal-callers are under scrutiny"

"As the Green Bay Packers wait to see whether Brett Favre will indeed file his reinstatement papers with the NFL, the club is working its way through a list of teams it sees as potential trading partners for the sort-of-retired quarterback. According to a league source, the teams on that list include the New York Jets, the Baltimore Ravens, the Miami Dolphins and the Houston Texans in the AFC and the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins in the NFC"

"Brett Favre's last pass was against the Giants. His next pass should be for the Jets. Favre wants to play, but the Packers are behaving like they would rather bring back Bart Starr. The Jets are still searching for an identity, a quarterback and a Super Bowl, all these years after Broadway Joe. Connect the dots and there's a match. The Jets should get on the phone to Packers GM Ted Thompson and make an offer for Favre, especially now that there are reports that the Packers have inquired with multiple teams about what they would give up for the future Hall of Famer. The sight of him firing passes for the Jets would create an electric environment. "He would give the Jets ..."

"What would NFL teams trade the Green Bay Packers for Brett Favre? The Packers have asked multiple teams what they would be willing to offer for their team icon and former NFL MVP, the NFL Network reported -- a state of affairs once unthinkable in Green Bay. While it is not known how many teams the Packers have contacted about Favre, they have not limited their inquiries to AFC teams, according to the report."

"For the past 15 years or so, whenever a large group of Green Bay Packers fans turned out for any kind of team-related event, a good portion showed up sporting No. 4 jerseys. That wasn't the case Monday as the usually ubiquituous Brett Favre jerseys were a no-show. There weren't all that many green-and-gold No. 12 jerseys either. But, among hundreds of people who snaked through three aisles at Copps Food Center to meet Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the owner of No. 12, there was plenty of support for the man who likely is the next "Leader of the Pack.""

"As all-consuming as the ongoing Brett Favre saga has been for those who follow the Green Bay Packers, the football operation hasn't shut down while waiting for the soap opera to reach its endgame. From unsigned starting halfback Ryan Grant's situation, to the team not having signed any of its nine draft picks, to depth concerns on the defensive line, there are plenty of non-Favre issues for general manager Ted Thompson to deal with."

"When General Manager Ted Thompson chose fifth overall in the 2006 NFL draft, he needed more than a solid starting football player from that premium pick, he needed a guy who could change games. In two years, his choice, A.J. Hawk, has become a solid starting linebacker. But a Green Bay Packers defense that ranked 11th in the NFL in yards allowed and sixth in points allowed last season needs more from Hawk to become a top defense, and part of that responsibility lies with coordinator Bob Sanders and his defensive coaching staff."

"I had an idea. The deal of the century. The deal of any century. The most talked-about trade in the history of trades. Brian Urlacher for Brett Favre. It would shock every NFL jock. It would be the biggest thing in football since George Halas was a Leatherhead. What a whopper—54 for 4. No cow in Wisconsin would be sure whether to moo or boo. Favre's fans would turn blue; Urlacher's would spritz up their Vitamin Water. I wonder what his Packers backers would wear to the games—can a head of cheddar be bald? I love Urlacher, but he seemed unhappy with his contract, or at least he did until Monday's news that he had signed an extension. I love Favre, but he is unhappy with his ..."

"Unless the NFL rewrites its rule book — and teams are allowed to play with only four offensive linemen — Jimmy Robinson's dream scenario for his Green Bay Packers wide receiving corps will never be a reality. But as effective as last year's Big Five was, wouldn't it be great if they could deploy the Super Six?"

"The Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre are zooming down the middle of a desert highway on course for a head-on collision. Perhaps it's time for the Packers to pull off to the side of the road first. That's the conclusion I have come to after consulting with three long-time football experts who will remain nameless because I wasn't interviewing them as much as picking their brain on the subject."

"By the start of the 2007 regular season, defensive tackle probably was the Green Bay Packers' deepest position. They were so deep there that this offseason, General Manager Ted Thompson decided not to gamble big money on the productive and versatile Corey Williams because of concerns he'd get complacent after a big payday. Instead, Thompson put the franchise tag on Williams, then traded him for a second-round draft pick. It looked like a great deal. Since, the Packers have sustained two setbacks that have left them vulnerable in the middle of the defensive line: First, Justin Harrell, last year's first-round draft pick, hurt his back early in the offseason and spent the spring and ..."

"There is only one logical solution to the Brett Favre conundrum. No debate is necessary.That solution is: Favre returns to Green Bay as the No. 1 quarterback, ideally maintaining momentum generated last season when he posted awesome numbers and got the Packers to the NFC final.If QB-in-waiting Aaron Rodgers doesn’t like it and wants to walk, let him. If it means Green Bay wasted a first-round draft choice on Rodgers, so what? There’s only one Brett Favre, and who the heck is Aaron Rodgers?There are no other options. Favre as backup is silly. The better doesn’t back up the lesser. Favre to another team might haunt the Packers and would diminish Favre’s legacy, albeit minimally. ..."

"Football coaches tend to be a forward-thinking lot. They're always about the next play, the next series, the next game. The only use they have for the past -- game film, for example -- is how it might benefit them in the future. So when Joe Philbin rewound to where the Green Bay Packers' running back position stood on the eve of training camp last year, you knew the Packers offensive coordinator must 've had good reason."

"It would be understandable to look at the 4-12 Jets, by and large a boring team with zero playmakers, and assume that this is a franchise in rebuilding mode. A team committed to youth, patience and long-term solutions. If only the Jets were correctly taking this approach, going after a quick fix like Brett Favre would be totally misguided. In reality, the Jets think of themselves in a different way. Panicking after a disastrous '07, and fearing that an almost always frustrated fan base was about to turn on them, Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini, who had eschewed big-name players, decided to change their approach, doling out huge contracts to veterans. Bizarrely, the Jets are ..."

"As Brett’s Favre’s mind, to say nothing of his future, seems to change hourly while he confronts his 39th birthday on Oct. 10 and must decide whether he wants to continue playing or reverse his field once again and stay retired, let’s consider the case histories of some other great quarterbacks who were still playing pro football near that age. There are 25 quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame. In the last 50 years, just six of them were starting when they were 38 or more. Only one, the great Johnny Unitas, was still in uniform at age 40. Only two, Unitas and Joe Montana, changed teams so late in their careers as it seems Favre will be obliged to do if he decides to keep on playing."

"Poor Aaron Rodgers. Under normal circumstances, he should be basking in all the preseason hype and pressure of a newly appointed starting NFL quarterback. Instead, his glorious moment is being held hostage by an aging quarterback who changes his mind like Paris Hilton changes men. Brett Favre's decision to go public about his displeasure with the Green Bay Packers' role in his retirement split the fan base, strained his relationship with his former employers and at its worst, put Rodgers in a tough spot. Professionally speaking, Rodgers doesn't seem to be in danger of losing his starting spot. But it indirectly messes with his image. To some, he will undoubtedly be the young guy ..."

"Everybody has questions. How soon can quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco start in Atlanta and Baltimore? Where does Brett Favre play in 2008, if he plays at all? Is there another team such as the New York Giants that will come out of the shadows at playoff time to seize the Super Bowl? There are no ready answers in July and August. Training camp is a time to grind, but it's also a time for optimism. Let's set the stage for the NFL's 89th season."

"Amid the obvious questions about the Packers/Favre/Vikings imbroglio -- Where will Favre end up, and was Greta Van Susteren's facelift worth the money? -- stands the most obvious question of all: Will anybody involved in this mess come out looking good? It wasn't that long ago that Brett Favre was an admirable retired football star, the Packers were the most admired young team in football, and the Vikings were hoping to benefit from Favre's absence. NFL fans, not to mention uncharacteristically optimistic Viking fans, were anticipating a night of choreographed and spontaneous drama on Sept. 8. The Vikings will open the season at Lambeau Field, and the Packers had planned to retire ..."

"Yes, the Bears have some issues as they head into training camp this week. But they are not alone. Each of the 32 teams in the NFL will be trying to answer deep questions, tie together loose ends and bury ghosts of the past. Here is a look at the other 31:"

"Leave it to Justin Timberlake, of all people, to put the Green Bay Packers' quarterback situation into perspective. Spotting Brett Favre in the crowd during the taping of the ESPYs last week in Los Angeles, Timberlake turned to the retired (at least for now) Packers quarterback and zinged him. "What have you been up to lately?" Timberlake, a Packers' fan who attended last season's Sunday night game at Lambeau Field against Chicago, asked. "I haven't seen you anywhere." Apparently, he's also bringing facetious back."

"The Green Bay Packers concluded their Hall of Fame press conference this afternoon in anticipation of the 7 p.m. dinner and banquet to honor former center Frank Winters, former defensive tackle Gilbert Brown and longtime video director Al Treml. The presenters were Santana Dotson for Brown, Bart Starr for Treml and Brett Favre for Winters. Yeah, but don't get excited. As expected, reporters were not allowed to ask Favre questions, as everyone involved wanted to keep the focus on the inductees and the special evening...Winters said he appreciated Favre coming despite the news and potential awkwardness. "This is special night for a couple of guys, and we're going to keep it at that.""

"Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy has restated his support for general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy in their dealings with Brett Favre. Murphy spoke Friday after a meeting of the team's executive committee. He was not available for comment, but a team spokesman said the club president has "full confidence" in how Thompson and McCarthy are handling this matter."

"Frank Winters is poised to take his place among some of the greatest names in pro football history tonight in Green Bay. Bart Starr. Paul Hornung. Vince Lombardi. Reggie White. Jan Stenerud. Even a couple of Kansas City guys, Lynn Dickey and Paul Coffman. And, yes, Winters, a resident of Overland Park, will be presented to the Packers Hall of Fame by none other than Brett Favre, whose status as quarterback for the storied franchise is the hottest drama of the NFL summer."

"One thing about tampering charges: They almost never become public unless someone wants them to become public. Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson, otherwise known as "that idiot" to many football fans in and around Wisconsin, pulled off a beauty the other day. In fact, it was the gridiron equivalent of a triple play. By filing tampering charges against the Vikings, he accomplished three strategic objectives: the accusation of high treason — conspiring with the enemy! — shifts public sympathy away from Favre; it assures he will not play for the Vikings, otherwise those tampering charges will appear all too true; and it guarantees that Favre will not play again in Green Bay."

"Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is always excited for the start of the regular season, but this year he might be even more eager than usual. That's because the Vikings open on Monday, Sept. 8 at Green Bay -- the team that has filed tampering charges against Minnesota for having alleged "inappropriate dialogue" with quarterback Brett Favre. "Let's put it this way, I look forward to the opening game in Green Bay," Wilf said after saying he had "no comment at all" about the charge."

"According to Fox News and the Associated Press, a source familiar with the situation says the Packers feel it's a simple case of two plus two. "They feel like Favre had something [in place], and that's why he was so anxious to get this release all of a sudden," said the source. Delving deeper, the source says examination of telephone records would indicate there has been "more than normal" contact between Favre and Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a - you'll be shocked to hear this - former Green Bay assistant. Yeah, well, whatever."

"The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame induction banquet, set for Saturday night at Lambeau Field, will honor two former players and a longtime club employee. But the spotlight will be trained on one of the guests in the house: Brett Favre. Team officials said they had no reason to think Favre would not show up for his old friend. Favre's wife, Deanna, is expected to attend as well."

"I love to watch Favre. But he told his team, repeatedly, that he was finished. He told the world. As good as he is, the sport goes on without him. The Packers took two quarterbacks in the draft. Can you imagine the outcry if an athlete such as Kobe Bryant did what Favre has? There would be a national outcry. One more example of NBA stars and their sense of entitlement, we'd say."

"If he wants to play, and still has the talent to play at a high level (and his performance last season certainly suggests he can), and if the Packers don't want him to play for them, he should not be forced to sit on Green Bay's bench or stay in retirement. It does the NFL no good to have one of its greatest players forced out of the game, and Commissioner Roger Goodell is surely smart enough to know that. If the Packers have moved on, they should give Favre an unconditional release and allow him to play out the final years of his career with any other team that wants him, even if that team happens to be in Green Bay's division."

"Turned on the TV the other day, and there was Tony Romo, playing golf. And though his happy-feet style is not my favorite kind of NFL quarterbacking, I get it, I get it. And sometimes it even works. When he quarterbacks the Cowboys, something always seems to happen."

"Tampering charges in the National Football League are rare and might be hard to prove, but according to a league spokesman the rules are pretty clear, and when it involves Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, even the union is watching. What is clear is that the NFL doesn't allow any such recruitment. NFL senior vice president of public relations Greg Aiello defined tampering."

"A sign near the front door of Brett Favre’s Steakhouse here reads “Thanks, Boss 4 a great career.” All of the blocky white letters are neatly aligned, reflecting none of the chaos that has consumed this town for the past few weeks."

"Tarnished legends are never pretty, which is why Brett Favre, the great Green Bay Packers quarterback, is looking a little ugly these days. Favre is talking about coming out of the retirement he announced in March, which would disrupt the long-range plans the Packers started this summer with Aaron Rodgers, who was Favre's backup for three seasons. Favre has not asked the league to reinstate him, which would be easy enough to do, but he has asked the Packers to grant him his unconditional release so he can play for another team."

"Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, one of five children from a Greenfield, Irish-Catholic family, can easily identify the influences that shaped his youth. • There were his father and mother, Joe and Ellen. Joe was a sometimes fireman, sometimes policeman, sometimes bar owner and all-the-time head of the family. • There was also, in a broader sense, all of Greenfield. And yesterday, McCarthy gave something back to the neighborhood that helped mold him"

"Now that Brett Favre's three-part softball-a-thon with Greta Van Susteren is finally over, how do you feel about the Green Bay Packers retired-for-now quarterback? From Favre's liar-liar, pants-on-fire rip job of general manager Ted Thompson; to the Packers' tampering allegations against their rivals, the "Minneapolis" Vikings (thanks, Greta!); to Favre showing up at the ESPY awards in an out-of-character black suit instead of Wranglers and flip-flops — the story has taken a few strange and ugly turns, and it's hard to imagine how the two sides will ever get over it, regardless of where Favre ends up in 2008. It's incredible just how divided Packer Nation has become."

"The Vikings organization released a two-sentence statement saying they won't comment on the Green Bay Packers' reported allegations to the NFL that Minnesota tampered with retired quarterback Brett Favre. The statement said: "We are not commenting on the issue. These types of matters are handled by the league." No further clarification was offered."

"The rivalry between the Vikings and the Green Bay Packers just got a lot hotter. An NFL source said Wednesday that the Packers had filed a tampering charge with the league against the Vikings in connection with an alleged contact with Brett Favre. The source said the Packers had provided evidence and information about the alleged contact. At this point, investigators for the league will look into the matter and decide what, if anything, to do. The source added that the Packers believe the case against the Vikings is strong. Penalties can include the loss of draft choices and fines."

"Brett Favre was terrific last season, leading an otherwise average Green Bay Packers team to the postseason. Chances are, he'd be impressive this year, too — if he would quit acting like a crybaby and just agree to play. Instead of whining about how the Packers are treating him, instead of going on Greta Van Susteren's show on Fox News Channel and saying he's tempted to call the team's "bluff" and show up for training camp, Favre should wise up, shut up and show up."

"The Vikings' rivalry with Green Bay took an interesting off-the-field turn Wednesday when it was reported the Packers have filed tampering charges with the NFL against the Vikings for "alleged communication" with quarterback Brett Favre. The story, broken by Fox Sports' website and confirmed by a separate source, said the league is gathering information and talking to both clubs. Favre, who retired in March after 17 seasons but wants to return to the NFL, remains property of the Packers but has requested his release."

"The flip-flop isn't necessarily a character flaw. Changing one's mind gets a bad rap sometimes because we've become conditioned to believe that it reflects internal weakness. Staying the course -- even if it's the wrong course -- somehow echoes a sturdiness of character, even though the path potentially leads toward the edge of a cliff. Brett Favre is now officially a self-absorbed diva, transforming in a matter of days from the Contented Warrior to the Conflicted Egotist"