http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8335678/Sources
ackers-won't-release-Favre
A Brett Favre comeback plan? Looks more like a backup plan
The Packers legend asked the team for his unconditional release on Friday, but the organization has no intention of granting that request, FOXSports.com has learned. If anything, sources say, the team is prepared to welcome Favre back as a backup to Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers has worked as the team's starter for the last five months and Green Bay has been operating under that assumption since Favre announced his retirement in the beginning of March. Favre re-affirmed his decision to retire at the end of March.
"The finality of (Favre's) decision to retire was accepted by the organization," the team said in a statement released Friday. "At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team."
Green Bay would likely trade Favre before releasing him, sources indicate. The team has the cap space to take on Favre's huge salary, but it would rather deal him than give him up for nothing, if those were the two options.
Friday's letter asking for his release is just the latest in what has been quite a soap opera involving Favre and the team this offseason.
As word of his desire to play leaked out, the team has treated the news largely as hearsay, as this is not the first time this offseason that Favre has made such a request.
In late March during the NFL Owners Meeting, Favre informed the team he wanted to play again, multiple sources have told FOXSports.com. Not only did he insist he was returning, both head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson agreed that he still had something left and they would welcome him back. Despite the fact that those close to Favre have stated Thompson did not want Favre back, Thompson was the deciding factor in agreeing it was not too late to have him un-retire at that time and start for the Packers in 2008.
In fact, team brass went as far as chartering a jet to fly to Mississippi to make it official later that week. The agreement was that the NFL's all-time leading passer would return for the year but help make it easier and palatable for Rodgers, who would have to wait another season to take the helm.
The group was set for this huge move when Favre suddenly phoned the team two days before the meeting was to take place and informed McCarthy that he had changed his mind yet again and was staying retired. While team officials were stunned by Favre's reversal, they made the decision to move on and draft his replacement, a move that Favre at the time understood. The Packers selected two quarterbacks in April's draft, Louisville's Brian Brohm in the 2nd round and LSU's Matt Flynn in the 7th round.
Then, a few weeks ago, Favre phoned the team stating he had that "itch" again to play. However, since he had jilted the Packers in March, the team simply took his latest request with a grain of salt. In addition, the team has put considerable time and attention into making Rodgers comfortable as the heir apparent.
The bottom line at this point is the soap opera is unfortunately growing and likely won't die any time soon.
