Football season is still months away, and already Brett Favre is driving Minnesota Vikings fans crazy.
Last night Favre appeared on HBO’s “Joe Buck Live” and answered the question that has been on every football fan’s mind during the last few weeks.
Asked by Buck if he would play this season as the quarterback for the Vikings, Favre replied, "Um ... " And after a pause, he said, "Maybe."
Sweet answer, Brett! Thanks for putting that to rest.
Favre also admitted the startling revelation that he has, indeed, spoken with the Vikings about joining their team.
"Nothing other than, 'Are you interested?'" he said. "And vice versa."
This insightful bit of knowledge comes after Viking’s coach Brad Childress issued a deadline for Favre to join the team (one that has since passed.)
For those who haven’t followed the latest Favre saga, it goes something like this: Favre retired from the Jets after an abysmal season was granted his release from the team (this time without the tears that made his retirement from Green Bay in 2007 difficult to watch) and the Mississippi native immediately started putting out feelers about playing with the Minnesota Vikings --- presumably to mess with the collective heads of all of Minnesota.
Or is that Green Bay? Rumor has it that Favre has always planned to play for the Vikings. Minnesota plays his former team, the Packers, and that gives him a chance to stick it to those cheeseheads for forcing him to retire. This idea is further supported by the fact that his family has already booked 25-30 rooms at the Midway Motor Lodge near Lambeau Field for Nov. 1, the first time the Vikes’ play the Pack. Coincidence?
While Favre himself softpeddles his return to playing in the media, his actions seem to suggest that his coming back is imminent. And when he does come back, the Vikings are the only team he is considering.
"It makes a lot of sense because the pieces are in place," Favre said.
The three-time NFL MVP said on the Buck show that venerable sports doctor, James Andrews operated on his shoulder 2 1/2 weeks ago and that it will take 4-5 weeks to know if he'll be able to make all the throws he needs to.
Favre said he met with a Vikings trainer Sunday to go over some arm exercises as part of his rehab, but the team has not made plans to evaluate his readiness to play. Favre said his conversations with Vikings officials have been infrequent and limited.
So, just to recap, Favre has been talking to the Vikings, but not that much. He might come back to football, but he’s not sure. But if he does, he’ll be a Viking and he’ll stick it to the Packers, the team he played for for 16 years.
"I know people are tired of it, really," Favre said earlier of the drama that accompanies his annual waffling over retirement. "My intentions are not to … create controversy."
