Vikings sign three-time NFL MVP Brett Favre
Reported by Phil Mackey
August 18, 2009
Email: PMac@kfan.com

Favre Press Conference Notes (updated 7:45 p.m.)

Sporting a dirty, worn out red cap, a sleeveless shirt, and a scruffy face, Brett Favre walked to the podium at Winter Park, finally escalating an 18-month flirtation with the Minnesota Vikings into a full-blown marriage.

Here are some bullet points from the presser:

- As has been chronicled, Favre had surgery to repair a torn biceps earlier this off-season. Favre said he knew he needed surgery if he intended to ever play again. However, his mental hang-up revolved around a torn rotator cuff, not the torn biceps.

Dr. James Andrews told Favre he's had a torn rotator cuff "for quite some time", but it shouldn't be an issue if Favre could tolerate the minimal pain. Favre talked to Dr. Andrews on Monday for reassurance that his rotator cuff wouldn't be an issue throughout the season.

Overall, Favre said his arm feels "good enough to feel confident making the throws I need to make."

- Apparently Favre and Brad Childress didn't speak at all during training camp, but something urged Childress to call Favre on Monday. Sage's ankle? Tarvaris' ineffectiveness? Childress wouldn't officially say. But they talked about Friday night's game against Indianapolis, and the conversation eventually moved toward Favre joining the Vikings.

Mark and Zygi Wilf then hopped on a plan early Tuesday morning to pick up Favre and his wife from Mississippi. Brad Childress drove Favre to Winter Park.

Fans flocked.

- Favre told a story about how he kept asking his 10-year-old daughter whether she thought he should make a comeback. She kept telling Favre to do whatever he wanted, but she changed her tune when Favre broke the news of his comeback.

"She started crying, and we sat on our back porch, and anybody who has children… I can be chased by five defensive linemen and it doesn't scare me, but when my daughter cries it softens me up. She said, 'Daddy I wanted you to go back and win one more Super Bowl.' And I said, 'Why didn't you tell me that before?'"

It's like Rocky II all over again.

- What about Favre's legacy? Does he care if people think his return will taint a Hall of Fame-caliber legacy?

"First of all, when people start talking about my legacy, it's mine," Favre said. "It's what I think of it. And I know the way I play the game, I know the way I've handled myself as a teammate, as a leader, within the public. Yeah, I've made mistakes along the way, we all have. But I think if I had it to do over again, I'd do it the same way. I don't think anyone has played the game with as much passion and has loved it, and loved his teammates as much as me."

- Favre said his first day as a Viking was much easier than his first day as a Jet, because he has a thorough knowledge of Childress' playbook.

- He'll probably play at least a couple series on Friday.

Favre-a-Palooza News and Notes (updated 3:30 p.m.)

- With Brett Favre in the passenger seat, Brad Childress navigated a black SUV through a mass of humanity outside Winter Park. Dozens and possibly even hundreds of fans, media members, TV trucks and a helicopter swarmed the future Hall of Famer's ride, and police had to herd everyone back across the street.

Favre walked on the practice field at 1:30 p.m., wearing number 4, and after shaking hands with Ben Leber and Chad Greenway, he immediately began familiarizing himself with the backside of center John Sullivan.

- Favre completed only two of his first four passes - one of them to Percy Harvin - during 7-on-7 drills, and he bumped into Chester Taylor on his first handoff attempt. Still, Favre had plenty of zip on his passes, and teammates

- Rosenfels sat out with an ankle injury, but instead of moping around like some would, he discussed the offense with Favre intermittently throughout the entire practice.

"Personally, obviously this isn't what I was hoping for," Rosenfels said. "I tried to get traded here and got traded here, but in my nine years this is the best football team I've ever been on. We've got so much talent. And if the team needs me this year, when the team needs me this year, I'm going to be ready.

"There's so many good guys, so many good players on this team, that if for some reason the team needed me and I wasn't ready, it would be a disservice to those guys and to myself."

Jackson and Favre did not speak the entire practice.

"It's not a good feeling," Jackson said. But you've got to take it for what it's worth and just try to get better from it."

Jackson also dispelled rumors from earlier this summer that he asked to be traded if Favre came to Minnesota.

Press Release From Vikings:

Eden Prairie, MN -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed three-time NFL MVP Brett Favre, the team announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We believe adding a player such as Brett Favre to our mix will be a strong positive for this football team,” said Head Coach Brad Childress. “As we have conveyed before, his unique knowledge of our system, the NFC North and his innate skills make this a rare opportunity. We felt there was a brief window to reconsider the possibility and we owed it to the organization to evaluate our options. After thorough discussion, the same variables that made this a unique and positive situation previously, still exist. Now, our attention turns to getting to work as a team, our next practice and preparing for the season.”

Entering his 19th year in the NFL, Favre has started 269 consecutive games (291 including playoffs) for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets, the longest stretch ever by an NFL quarterback and the 2nd-longest streak in NFL history, behind only former Minnesota Viking Jim Marshall (270). The 10-time Pro Bowler holds every significant NFL career passing record and is the league’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (464), completions (5,720), attempts (9,280), yards (65,127) and victories as a starting QB (169).

“I am excited about the opportunity to join this football team,” said Favre. “From ownership, to coaching, to the players, it is evident that everyone in the Vikings organization is committed to bringing the fans of Minnesota a Championship. I am eager to join my new teammates and get to work towards that goal.”

In 2008, Favre earned his 10th career Pro Bowl berth as he completed 343-of-522 passes (65.7%) for 3,472 yards and 22 touchdowns with the Jets. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice in the month of September and set a career-high with six TD passes in a win against the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals.