NFL Update: Favre Is Planning To Retire… Again.
Brett Favre has reportedly told the NFL network that he plans to retire, and will not return for another season with the Minnesota Vikings. Although he had not made the report official by stating so in public until recently, he has been speaking with other
teammates about his plan to retire since before the 2010 season.
A few of Favre’s closest teammates report that he had sent text messages to his teammates saying, “This is it.” Visanthe Schiancoe, tight end for the Vikings, spoke to reporters, saying
“He told a couple guys on our team he's going to retire. 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."
The Vikings have been planning to increase Favre’s salary for this year for quite some time now, in the hopes that he would come back to Minnesota for another season.
Sources said that the team management offered to increase Favre’s salary from $13 million to $16 million. On top of that, Favre would also make about $4 million from other incentives, making his pay for 2010 about $20 million. And the best part? It’s guaranteed.
The Vikings nor Favre had not confirmed the news until Friday, but head coach Brad Childress said that he spoke to Favre and had no idea about any plans for retirement.
"I'm not a big hearsay person," Childress said. "I've got to hear it from the horse's mouth."
He also said that the Vikings would still be ready for 2011 if Favre didn’t return, stating,
"The same plays are being installed whether [Favre] was here or the guys that are here are here."
Of course, Favre has become more popular than the boy who cried wolf in terms of retirement. After playing in the NFL for 19 seasons, he has made multiple statements to retire, but none this early in the season.
Last year, he told the Vikings that he wouldn’t be back but ended up changing his mind right after the rest of the team completed training camp. Childress even drove to the airport to pick him up.
"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's at peace with it."
None of Favre’s teammates knew what to say about Favre’s retirement, after answering the same questions for three consecutive years.
Defensive end Jared Allen said "I plead the Fifth on everything. I love Brett and he reserves the right to do what he wants to do. We obviously love him as a teammate. We'd like to have him back. But until its official, I'll believe it when I see it."
Even after making it official on Friday November 12, nobody will believe him until they see it. Also, with Jenn Sterger finally agreeing to talk to the press, his “retirement” may come a lot sooner than even he thought would be possible.
Favre allegedly sent racy photos and audio to Sterger last year and she refused to speak with NFL officials until recently.
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