Favre says he’s doing Vikings a favour, vows 2010 will be his last season
So surprise surprise, Brett Favre is back in the NFL for a 20th season. He’s also said that this will be his last season and says he means it this time. Favre said what brought him back to the team was the team’s chance at winning a Super Bowl.
The main concern regarding Favre’s decision to return was his surgically repaired left ankle. The ankle had not been healing as well as he’d hoped and he admitted he’s still not 100%.
"There is nothing on me that's 100 percent, there wasn't anything that was 100 percent last year or the year before, but the ankle surgery made me a little better."
Favre, like last year, missed training camp and joined the team less than 24 hours after Vikings teammates kicker Ryan Longwell, defensive end Jared Allen and guard Steve Hutchinson paid him a visit at his home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Hutchinson claimed that the Vikings had sent the trio to get an answer once and for all from Favre. The plan was to either bring him back, or wish him well in retirement. They delivered Favre back to Minnesota to join the Vikings again.
"We told him how much all the guys loved playing with him and that we would love to do it again," Hutchinson said. "We also told him that if he didn't want to do it, then congratulations, you deserve it. You've had an incredible career, but we've got to know one way or another."
Favre then told his teammates that he had been thinking about his decision for weeks, maybe months. He said he too felt the special bond with the team and how fun the 2009 season was. Favre then said out of the blue to his teammates: “Okay, let’s do it.”
Favre explained on what weighed in his decision to come back: “As we were driving on that last drive it seemed like it was destiny – for us," said Favre. "I was so close, so close to getting these guys to the Super Bowl.” Favre was of course referring to his last drive in the NFC Championship last year when it seemed he was going to lead the Vikings to a game winning field goal, before throwing an interception in the dying moments. Favre and the offence wouldn’t get another chance as the Saints scored on their first possession in overtime.
The 40-year old quarterback said that after coming so close to reaching the Super Bowl last year, "I owe it to this organization to give it one more try."
Favre said that deciding whether to come back or not was one of the hardest decisions he ever made: "I could make a case for both playing, not playing," Favre said. "This is a very good football team, the chances here are much greater than other places. From that standpoint, it was always going to be easier to return.”
Favre also said that this is definitely his last season. Of course Favre has said that before. He has already come out of retirement twice, once for the Green Bay Packers in 2007 and after a season with the New York Jets in 2008. Coach Brad Childress does believe Favre when he says it’s his last year: "I believe it. Yes I do."
He signed with the Vikings last year after missing training camp and signed a two-year contract worth $25 million. He was scheduled to make $13 million this season but will get a raise, bringing his base salary to $16 million and an extra $4 million in incentives.
Favre had apparently told his teammates that he was going to retire because the ankle hadn’t been healing well. After three years of hearing the Favre questions, the Vikings were not convinced and now they’ll see if the old man can repeat what he did last year, or be even better. Favre could have ended his career years ago and he’d be a Hall-of-Famer. When he does retire, it will cap an amazing career and he’ll be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. If this is indeed his final farewell season, nothing would make it sweeter than finishing what he started last year and delivering the Vikings their first Super Bowl title.
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