National Football League

Packers skeptical Favre really retired

Published Aug. 3, 2010 9:13 p.m. ET

foxsports

No one expected Ted Thompson to say much. Remember, this is the same Packers’ general manager who traded a vacillating Brett Favre away two summers ago. So, what does it mean if Favre’s really not quarterbacking the rival Vikings, the defending NFC North champions who beat the Packers twice last season?

“I haven’t thought about that. I don’t know anything about it,” Thompson said today. “Right now I want to focus on my own team.”

But we all know the Packers, who have their own Super Bowl aspirations, will pop the champagne (honestly, it will probably be beer bottles) once it’s official and Favre fails to start the season opener next month against the Saints.

“When that first game starts and he’s not in uniform, then I will believe,” said Packers defensive end Cullen Jenkins. “I will not believe anything about him retiring until I see on that first day that he’s not playing. Brett’s a great competitor and it’s always hard for him to give it up. But he always comes back.”

I just spent the last few days in Mankato, where the Vikings train, and Green Bay. People on both teams admitted that Favre loves game days, but not always the rest of the week. And this had been going on for five, six seasons. Undoubtedly, the Packers have moved on because Aaron Rodgers is their quarterback and a damn fine one, but the Vikings genuinely love the guy and wanted him back even if it meant him not coming to training camp or showing up until later this month.

Favre is telling some of his teammates that his ankle hasn’t responded from surgery and that cheap shot he took in the NFC Championship game. There have been rumblings, too, that there are major offensive philosophy differences between him and Vikings head coach Brad Childress.

When I asked Childress about play-calling differences, he sloughed it off, saying that Brett definitely has ideas of what he wants to do in a game. “He has a well-informed opinion of what will work, but he always said last year he didn’t have to call the plays,” Childress said.

Packers running back Ryan Grant probably summed up the feelings of most football fans across America.

“It’s week one into training camp. How many of you guys believe (this)?” Grant said. “Come see me when they decide who they’re going to make part of the team. Brett’s done it before, he’s done this situation before, and rightfully so. I think he’s in a little different situation than other guys. Does he necessarily have to make his decision now? I still feel like when it comes closer to the regular season and the games that quote-unquote count, for him, he’ll probably come back. He’s too much of a competitor. I don’t know the situation with the ankle, maybe that might be legit, but that’s hard for me to see, especially right now, four or five days into training camp.”