Brett Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Green Bay Packers later this month, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
Favre has discussed his desire to coach Mike McCarthy, but talks have not advanced to a substantive stage, a Packers source said. The source said the Packers would be reluctant to open the door for Favre because "Brett retired for the right reasons, even though I know his family is tugging on him to play."
Favre's agent, however, downplayed the likelihood that Favre could un-retire or that he was prepared to report to camp on July 28.
"As far as I know, right now, Brett Favre is retired and until he tells me something different, that's what it is," said James "Bus" Cook, Favre's agent.
Favre was unavailable for comment and McCarthy and Packers general manager Ted Thompson are on vacation.
Since his retirement after the 2007 season, Favre has been playing in golf tournaments and working his 465-acre spread in Hattiesburg. He has not mailed his retirement letter to the Packers.
He grew up in Kiln, Miss,. near the GulfCoast. The natives don't pronounce the "n." The town is known as "The Kill." Former USM coach Curley Hallman described the town as "like the Dukes of Hazzard. minus the demolition derby."
Favre has two years remaining in his contract at an average of $12.5 million per season. His salary is not currently counting toward the salary cap because the Packers placed him on the reserve-retired list.
This is the time of year players get ready for the season. Favre has done it for 17 straight years in the NFL, so it's natural for the body to say, "Let's go!" Favre can still take the hits. The question is, does he want to?
If he decides that he absolutely wants to play this season. the Packers could be confronted with a sensitive issue. The entire off-season has been spent preparing Aaron Rodgers to play quarterback to the point where "the offensive scheme has evolved" and, psychologically closing the door in Favre's legendary 17-year career.
"As a veteran and as a leader of the team," Packers cornerback Al Harris said on ESPN's NFL Live, "I would welcome Brett with open arms."
If the Packers don't want Favre back, he could press the team to release him from his contract so that he could seek a job with another team.
When Favre announced his retirement after the season, he said, "Throwing a touchdown pass for the Packers is pretty neat. I've thrown a ton of them, and every one of them was a helluva lot of fun."
"I tried to talk Brett out of retirement," said McCarthy back in March. "Tom Clements (Packers quarterback coach and former Saints assistant under Mike Ditka) and I were trying to sell him on the concept that he could still play at a high level with 80 to 85 per cent of the commitment he had last year. Brett sets high standards for himself and he didn't want to let the team down."
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Brett Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Green Bay Packers later this month, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
