Packers officials have said this offseason that they believe Brett Favre should have his number retired some day, but that a little time may need to pass before everyone in Green Bay is ready for that. For his part, Favre doesn’t sound like he cares.
In an interview with Deion Sanders on NFL Network, Favre said he doesn’t see what the big deal is about having a ceremony at Lambeau Field and having his No. 4 jersey formally retired.
“Why?” Favre asked. “You know what, I don’t know what the future holds. But I do know this: Whether anything ever happens . . . people think I’m crazy, but I don’t need to have a day. I don’t need to have a retirement, retire your jersey, all that stuff, to solidify my career.”
Favre said he assumes he’ll some day return to Green Bay, where he played from 1992 to 2007 and was named NFL MVP three times. But he doesn’t know when that will be, and he doesn’t think he needs to see his jersey hung up to show what he accomplished.
“That day will come. I haven’t lost any sleep over it, nor have they, I think,” Favre said. “What I did speaks for itself. What I left behind speaks for itself.”
Most of the ill will toward Favre in Green Bay is a result of the way Favre conducted himself in his retirements and un-retirements, and so in that respect he has only himself to blame if he’s not quite the revered figure he once was among Packers fans. But what he did in Green Bay deserves to be honored, and eventually he should have his jersey retired. Even if that day won’t come for a few more years.