National Football League

Childress: No decision but no worries over Favre

Published Feb. 26, 2010 5:50 p.m. ET

Alex Marvez

Four weeks removed from an NFC championship loss, the Minnesota Vikings and Brett Favre are now engaged in another contest: the waiting game.

Vikings coach Brad Childress said he spoke with Favre on Monday and Tuesday this week but is still uncertain whether his 40-year-old star quarterback will return for a 20th NFL season.

“I’m OK with whatever timeline he has. I’m sure not laying one down,” Childress told me and co-host Gil Brandt on a Friday morning Sirius NFL Radio appearance at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I know everyone would like to have a finite (timeline), but we were able to get by a couple of those things in terms of ‘he’s got to be here’ for this and that.”

Favre, who has retired in each of the past two offseasons before returning, didn’t sign with Minnesota until training camp was well underway last August. Despite his lack of offseason work and unfamiliarity with Minnesota’s offensive personnel, Favre enjoyed one of his greatest seasons with 4,202 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.

Favre was pummeled during a 31-28 overtime loss to New Orleans in the NFC Championship game, but Childress said he believes the quarterback’s ankle and knee are “healing up.” Childress said Favre is healthy enough to participate in his annual offseason home repairs in Hattiesburg, Miss.

“He’s laying some limestone because they’ve got a water problem in the road,” Childress said. “He’s keeping himself busy. I don’t think he’s sitting around.”

Favre is under contract with the Vikings through next season and is scheduled to earn $13 million in 2010. Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels would complete for the starting spot if Favre retired.

Favre is expected to make his first statements about his NFL future during a Thursday appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. After this week’s telephone calls, Childress said he didn’t have a feeling one way or the other about whether Favre would return. After the Saints loss, Favre said he wouldn’t take “months” to make a decision.

Childress said he wrote a letter to his team this week reflecting upon the 2009 season, which was the most successful of his four-year Vikings coaching tenure.

“You need to reflect upon all the good things and steps that we’ve taken,” said Childress, who received a four-year contract extension during the 2009 season. “Of course, it stings more when you get knocked out late. But those are all things you learn from.”