My youngest child asked me recently for my take on the Brett Favre situation. She said her husband who knows of my great admiration for Favre is curious. The question forced me to pull my thoughts together on the great Green Bay Packers quarterback and his decision to “Un-retire” and play again.
Several years ago some players squawked about their contracts and wanted them enhanced. Favre was quoted as saying that men ought to keep their word and live up to the contracts as written. My reaction to his retirement is in the same vein: he made his decision and told everyone who needed to know. Based on this the Packers leadership made their decision to go with his backup, Aaron Rogers, and begin a new era. Now Favre wants to play again and be the number one QB at Green Bay. I love Brett Favre for all the thrills he gave us over the years and for leading the Packers back to the Super Bowl. But I also believe he should live up to his decision. He gave his word he was done. Let it be. The Packers owe him more than money can ever repay but they too have rights and other obligations. They should not backtrack at this late stage and tell Rogers he has to sit again for another year. It is not fair to that young man. His time has come. He deserves the chance to prove himself.
The Packers also ought not to have trade Favre to his team of choice if in doing so they will endanger their changes of winning the division title and going on to the playoffs and maybe the Super Bowl. The whole thing may play out next week and be resolved in a matter of days. What ever Favre does, including playing elsewhere for someone else, I will continue to admire his accomplishments, but I will also continue to be a fan of the Green Bay Packers.
Several years ago some players squawked about their contracts and wanted them enhanced. Favre was quoted as saying that men ought to keep their word and live up to the contracts as written. My reaction to his retirement is in the same vein: he made his decision and told everyone who needed to know. Based on this the Packers leadership made their decision to go with his backup, Aaron Rogers, and begin a new era. Now Favre wants to play again and be the number one QB at Green Bay. I love Brett Favre for all the thrills he gave us over the years and for leading the Packers back to the Super Bowl. But I also believe he should live up to his decision. He gave his word he was done. Let it be. The Packers owe him more than money can ever repay but they too have rights and other obligations. They should not backtrack at this late stage and tell Rogers he has to sit again for another year. It is not fair to that young man. His time has come. He deserves the chance to prove himself.
The Packers also ought not to have trade Favre to his team of choice if in doing so they will endanger their changes of winning the division title and going on to the playoffs and maybe the Super Bowl. The whole thing may play out next week and be resolved in a matter of days. What ever Favre does, including playing elsewhere for someone else, I will continue to admire his accomplishments, but I will also continue to be a fan of the Green Bay Packers.
