Brett Favre spent 16 seasons as the most popular player in Green Bay, but because of the way he handled his retirements, and his un-retirements, and his two seasons as a quarterback for the division rival Vikings, the last time Favre left Lambeau he was booed off the field.
There’s nothing Favre can ever do to become the kind of beloved figure in Green Bay again that he was during his years with the Packers, but there are some indications that he’s trying to extend an olive branch toward his old team and its fans.
In a piece headlined “Favre is trying to mend fences,” Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that Favre has departed from his past stance of saying little about his successor, Aaron Rodgers, or taking jabs like saying he was surprised it took Rodgers three years to win a Super Bowl. In a recent interview on NFL Network, Favre had nothing but praise for Rodgers.
“Aaron Rodgers, I knew when I left, this guy has all the tools,” Favre said. “He can beat you with his feet. He’s got a great arm, extremely accurate, handles the cast around him perfect.”
Those comments alone won’t do enough to heal the rift between Favre and Rodgers, but they’re a step in the right direction. Knowing that hard feelings are still present, the Packers plan to wait a year or two before retiring Favre’s number, but eventually they will. And they should: You can make a good case that Favre was the best Packer ever. Some day, Favre should be welcomed back to Lambeau Field with open arms.