What do you say to someone who is the NFL’s only three-time MVP (1995-1997), who is second in league history in touchdowns (391), second in completions (4,500), third in attempts (7,300) and second in yards (51,798)? “Alright old timer, here is your key to Canton?” Correct, but not completely. In the case of 15-year NFL veteran Brett Favre, you also say that word which makes every athlete wince in pain: Retire.
It is true that Brett Favre is a great competitor, possibly the greatest the game has ever known. After coming into the league from Southern Mississippi and catching on with the Green Bay Packers, Favre proceeded to play in 225 consecutive games, including the playoffs, an NFL record for a quarterback. He has been the marquee player on a marquee franchise for a long time, and people are still convinced that he has the “magic,” whatever that may be. But from the way things sound, I might have to agree with the man himself instead.
Last week, Favre was quoted as saying that if Head Coach Mike Sherman left the Packers ,he wouldn’t want to be in Green Bay any longer. Just as his career seems linked to Mike Sherman, it also seems linked to the fact that he has become a stubborn worker in an ever-changing industry.
Favre is so stuck in his ways that it is beginning to hurt the team. The Packers’ 1-7 record is not entirely his fault, especially when the team’s player of the game last Sunday against Pittsburgh was Samkon Gado, an undrafted rookie from Liberty University. But Favre has stated his refusal more than once to continue what he is doing. “Do I really want to sit in meetings and have to learn something all over again?” Favre asked reporters last week. “It would be so difficult.”
Here’s a newsflash for the southern gunslinger: what you are doing is not working, so, difficult or not, you better change. The Packers have been on a downhill slide for a couple of years and have finally bottomed out this year. The team is capped out and riddled with injuries. With Favre failing to use his leadership role on the team to change for the better, things will continue to get worse. Favre is more content to lose in the old ways than win in any new ones.
“Instead of odd being to the left, now odd would to the right,” Favre remarked to reporters. “You see where I’m coming from?” Sorry Brett, but I don’t. If Sherman isn’t doing it for you maybe someone else can. The NFL is a league of change. Coaches change, players adapt and new wrinkles pop up every year. Preparation and adaptation are the name of the game, and if you refuse to do that, you might as well give up. Favre is only 36 years old. While he does have some gray hairs it is not outrageous to ask him to bend a little bit for the benefit of the team. If the NFL doesn’t have anything left to teach Favre, then he should walk away.
While Favre has had a lot on his mind (his father’s death, his wife’s cancer and Hurricane Katrina ravaging his hometown), he’s been acting like he has had his foot out the door for a number of years. Favre talks about retirement every off-season, like an unhappy employee sticking around for more benefits. He has nothing else to play for, and what’s worse, he acts like it. If a 1-7 record isn’t enough to make your team’s leader alter his play and doing anything possible to get in the win column is a headache, what does that say? It screams, “hang ‘em up.”
