Report says Favre traded to the Jets Posted on August 7th
Brett Favre appears to be taking his high-powered arm to the New York Jets.
The most famous Packer since the Vince Lombardi era left Green Bay yesterday. He was headed for his home in Mississippi, but sometime before midnight, the Packers worked out a trade that sent him to the Jets, Fox Sports reported.
In exchange for the three-time NFL MVP, the Jets are sending Green Bay a draft pick that would increase in value depending on New York’s finish in 2008, Fox Sports reported.
The Jets would not comment. They are expected to release quarterback Chad Pennington because the team will need to create salary-cap room to accommodate Favre’s contract.
The Jets finished 4-12 last season.
According to Fox Sports, Favre talked to Jets head coach Eric Mangini on Tuesday night as New York team officials tried to convince Favre he would be a good fit in New York.
The trade caps a roller-coaster off-season for Favre, the 38-year-old owner of nearly every meaningful passing record in NFL history.
Favre’s agent, James “Bus” Cook, had confirmed in an e-mail to the Associated Press that the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were emerging as the most likely trade destinations.
Favre was on a private plane that left for Hattiesburg, Miss., yesterday at 1:25 p.m. Cook and Favre’s wife, Deanna, also were aboard the plane that landed two hours later. Favre’s family home is near Hattiesburg.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden refused to address speculation that the team was on the verge of a deal for Favre.
The Jets’ other quarterbacks are Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff and rookie Erik Ainge.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke to Favre again Tuesday night, but there was no indication that their conversation did anything to change the fractured relationship between Favre and the franchise.
“It was just very general,” McCarthy said of the conversation with Favre, who was excused from practice. “Just how he was doing, where he was with the process, things like that.”
McCarthy said he was happy the rest of his players were getting a chance to move forward.
“We talked about it last night,” McCarthy said. “The players want resolution, they want what everybody wants. To come out here every day and talk about somebody that is not here and then shows up, it’s gone on too long, and understandably so. They want to play football.”
Packers players vented frustration over the Favre situation Tuesday after fans chanting “Bring Back Brett!” turned practice into a zoo-like atmosphere and reporters continued asking questions about Favre instead of football.
After McCarthy made it clear Tuesday that Favre’s football future would not be in Green Bay, players seemed to have some sense of closure.
Packers cornerback Charles Woodson - who said Tuesday that the saga had “gone on long enough” - said the Packers’ front office gave players the answers they needed.
“From what I understand, for the most part it’s taken care of,” Woodson said. “Now it’s just about the Packers and not about the situation. It’s over now. From what I understand, it’s pretty much over.”
The final split between the Packers and Favre became obvious Tuesday night. McCarthy told reporters that after extensive conversations with Favre over two days, he had determined that Favre doesn’t have the right mind-set to play for the Packers.
After approximately six hours of what McCarthy called “brutally honest” conversations with Favre, McCarthy said Favre couldn’t seem to get past emotional wounds that were opened as tensions mounted in recent weeks - even with the chance to win his starting job back potentially on the table.
“The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want,” McCarthy said Tuesday.
Favre left Lambeau Field just before Packers practice Tuesday afternoon. “We’re at a stalemate,” he told ESPN Tuesday morning.