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Favre tells Vikings: I am staying retired
QUARTERBACK Brett Favre has decided to remain retired and will not join the Minnesota Vikings this season, head coach Brad Childress said on the team's Website on Tuesday.
Favre, a three-time league MVP and one of the National Football League's greatest quarterbacks, played last season for the New York Jets after 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers that included two trips to the Super Bowl and one championship trophy.
The 39-year-old had retired from the Jets in February saying he was bothered by a partially torn bicep in his throwing arm, and was released by New York on April 28.
Favre, who had changed his mind frequently about retirement in his twilight years, later negotiated a possible return to the Packers' division rivals the Vikings.
"I had to be careful not to commit for the wrong reasons," Favre said. "They were telling me, 'You went through all this, you had the surgery and you've got to finish it off.' But I have legitimate reasons for my decision. I'm 39 with a lot of sacks to my name."
Decision
His retirement decision came one day before players report to Minnesota's training camp in Mankato.
"It was a rare and unique opportunity to consider adding not only a future Hall of Fame quarterback but one that is very familiar with our system and division," Childress said.
"That does not detract from the team that we have. As we have consistently communicated, we feel good about our team and they have put forth a tremendous effort this offseason preparing for the season ahead," he added.
Favre's decision leaves Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels to compete for Minnesota's starting quarterback job.
The 18-year veteran, who tested his throwing at home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, this summer to gauge his readiness to return for another NFL season, holds a slew of league records.
The strong-armed quarterback has thrown the most career touchdown passes (464), thrown for the most passing yards (65,127), made the most career pass completions (5,720) and notched the most wins by a quarterback (169). Perhaps his most impressive record was the 291 consecutive starts he made at one of the game's most demanding positions.
Favre, a three-time league MVP and one of the National Football League's greatest quarterbacks, played last season for the New York Jets after 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers that included two trips to the Super Bowl and one championship trophy.
The 39-year-old had retired from the Jets in February saying he was bothered by a partially torn bicep in his throwing arm, and was released by New York on April 28.
Favre, who had changed his mind frequently about retirement in his twilight years, later negotiated a possible return to the Packers' division rivals the Vikings.
"I had to be careful not to commit for the wrong reasons," Favre said. "They were telling me, 'You went through all this, you had the surgery and you've got to finish it off.' But I have legitimate reasons for my decision. I'm 39 with a lot of sacks to my name."
Decision
His retirement decision came one day before players report to Minnesota's training camp in Mankato.
"It was a rare and unique opportunity to consider adding not only a future Hall of Fame quarterback but one that is very familiar with our system and division," Childress said.
"That does not detract from the team that we have. As we have consistently communicated, we feel good about our team and they have put forth a tremendous effort this offseason preparing for the season ahead," he added.
Favre's decision leaves Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels to compete for Minnesota's starting quarterback job.
The 18-year veteran, who tested his throwing at home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, this summer to gauge his readiness to return for another NFL season, holds a slew of league records.
The strong-armed quarterback has thrown the most career touchdown passes (464), thrown for the most passing yards (65,127), made the most career pass completions (5,720) and notched the most wins by a quarterback (169). Perhaps his most impressive record was the 291 consecutive starts he made at one of the game's most demanding positions.
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