The Favre Saga

Just when I thought my fantasy football cheat sheets were looking pretty good, the rumors of the return of Brett Favre began intensifying. As a huge Favre apologist, I'm all for it. Though, as someone who would have to go through and re-assess what No. 4's triumphant return to the Packers (or more likely another team) would do to my rankings, I'm not quite as thrilled. Oh well, someone's bound to blow out a knee in training camp and rearrange my rankings anyways, so it's not that big of a deal. Like everyone else, I just want the drama to end soon and some kind of a decision to be made one way or another.

Friday's report by ESPN's Chris Mortenson makes it seem like we're one step closer to some kind of resolution, thankfully. Mort says Favre's agent has contacted the Packers to formally ask for Favre's unconditional release. Then the Packers released a statement this afternoon that read as follows:

The Green Bay Packers are aware of the latest developments regarding Brett Favre.

Brett earned and exercised the right to retire on his terms. We wanted him to return and welcomed him back on more than one occasion.

Brett’s press conference and subsequent conversations in the following weeks illustrated his commitment to retirement.

The finality of his decision to retire was accepted by the organization. At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team.

As a retired player, Brett has the option to apply for reinstatement with Commissioner Goodell. If that were to occur, he would become an active member of the Green Bay Packers. As always, the Packers will do what’s right and in the best interest of the team.

As with all Packers greats, Brett’s legacy will always be celebrated by our fans and the organization, regardless of any change in his personal intentions.

Brett and Deanna will always be a part of the Packers family.

Stay tuned because this saga needs to come to a head within two weeks before the start of training camps. We should know soon whether this was all just speculation or Favre actually will be wearing a different team's uniform in 2008.