The Green Bay Packers organization and former quarterback Brett Favre have made significant strides recently to repair the rift created from Favre’s departure from the team in 2008. Favre has acknowledged faults on his end for how he handled things toward the end of his time in Green Bay. The Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have both stressed the importance of bringing Favre back into the organization as well.
Favre left the Packers in 2008 after retiring from the NFL after he couldn’t commit to playing the upcoming season for the team. When he did decide to play, the Packers had already committed to Rodgers stepping in to be the guy and it led to Favre landing with the New York Jets. As time has passed, Favre has admitted the wounds have healed some.
Favre appeared on Sirius XM NFL radio on Thursday with Bruce Murray and Jim Miller and discussed his relationship with the Packers and the quarterback who ultimately took his job in Aaron Rodgers.
“I understood that they had a young quarterback who had tremendous potential, that they had to find out what he could do,” Favre said. “And, quite frankly, I had probably my best year in 16 years that past season and there’s two ways to look at that. If you’re in the organization and you’re making decisions you got to feel like, ‘OK, he had a great year but he’s probably maxed out.’ That’s kind of what I would have been thinking. Now, obviously my side of it is, ‘I think I still can play.’ The way it went down was not the best of ways and I think people have learned from it and, again, I’m over it.”
Then Favre handed out some lofty praise of Rodgers.
“Aaron has played extremely well, probably even better than anyone anticipated, but I knew he was capable of that and that’s why they drafted him,” Favre said. “Barring any injury he’ll shatter everything I ever did there except for maybe consecutive games.”
Rodgers has been nothing short of spectacular in five seasons as the starter for the Packers. He’s eclipsed 4,000 yards passing in four of his five seasons (and came a whole 78 yards shy in the other year) and thrown 170 touchdowns in that span. Rodgers has already thrown for 21,661 yards and has a career passer rating of 104.9. If Rodgers is to ultimately surpass Favre he’ll have to continue to produce at a high level for the many years still to come. But Favre obviously has faith in Rodgers’ ability to do so.
For Favre, Rodgers and the Packers organization, it’s a welcome sight to see the walls beginning to come down and relationships to be repaired.