National Football League

Childress blasts ESPN's report of Favre deadline

Published Jun. 10, 2009 11:31 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Minnesota Vikings never told Brett Favre to make up his mind by this week if he wants to play, according to coach Brad Childress.

In fact, Childress said Wednesday, the team has no timetable for Favre to decide about coming out of retirement again to quarterback the Vikings.

"I'm not into predicting the future, you know?" the coach said. "We'll just have to see what's around the corner tomorrow."

Childress called into local radio station KFAN during his drive to work and refuted an earlier ESPN report that he had mandated Favre determine his status for the 2009 season this week. Asked if there was a deadline, Childress said "absolutely not" — unless it came from Favre's wife, Deanna, or "somebody like that."

Childress added: "Certainly not from me. Not even close. Don't know where that would've dropped out of the sky from."

He was unavailable for further comment Wednesday. Favre's agent, Bus Cook, didn't return messages left by The Associated Press. Childress is scheduled to take questions from reporters Thursday following practice.

The Vikings have a handful of organized team activities — the NFL's term for optional offseason workouts — remaining over the next week, but that's it until training camp formally begins July 31. Childress has often called himself a "mother hen" when it comes to wanting the whole team present throughout the summer, and it's surely not his preference to add an important player long after preparations have begun.

As for Favre?