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. [h2]Favre signs with Vikings[/h2]
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Brett Favre is coming back formore.
The 39-year-old quarterback turned his back on retirement for the second time in as many years, agreeing Tuesday to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
The deal is worth between $10 million to $12 million, according to ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.
The Vikings made it official with a news release early Tuesday afternoon. A news conference to introduce Favre is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
The first inkling that something was afoot came early Tuesday, when two television stations in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Minneapolis reported that the Vikingshad sent a private plane to Hattiesburg to pick up Favre.
[h4]The Herd with Colin Cowherd[/h4]
Trent Dilfer reacts to Brett Favre's return to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. Dilfer says it's worked out well for Favre, but he's not sure it will work out well for the Vikings.
More Podcasts »
Favre and his wife, Deanna, arrived to cheering fans outside the team's practice facility and was in a helmet and pads less than 90 minutes later. Hisred practice jersey was the familiar No. 4, the same number he wore for years with his now-rival Green Bay Packers.
Coach Brad Childress, who greeted the Favres at the airport, had confirmed the planned meeting in an early Tuesday e-mail to The Associated Press. Asked ifthe plan was to sign Favre, Childress replied: "In a perfect world."
Childress' wish came true shortly afterward, when the Vikings announced the signing.
The day's developments and Favre's arrival were a surreal tableau, with a throng of fans who somehow learned early on of Favre's deal with theVikings and ran alongside the SUV as it arrived at the Vikings' practice site from the airport, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, with a lonepolice officer trying to maintain order.
ESPN analyst Cris Carter reported that Childress already has told the Vikings that Favre would be starting in Friday night's preseason game against theKansas City Chiefs.
[h4]Fantasy: What to expect[/h4]
Brett Favre's addition to the Vikings should be a boon to the cast around him, ESPN.com Fantasy analyst Matthew Berry believes.
While Favre is just a borderline top-20 fantasy quarterback (he was 16th in points among QBs in 200
, Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian should see boosts in production.
The presence of Favre makes Peterson the consensus No. 1 pick. Berry previously had Peterson ranked No. 2 behind Michael Turner.
Also, Berrian is now a top-20 fantasy receiver. He is currently ranked No. 26 in ESPN.com average draft position.
ESPN.com projections:
• Favre: 3,294 passing yards; 21 TDs; 19 INTs
• Berrian: 73 receptions; 1,150 yards; 7 TDs
• Peterson: 1,701 rushing yards; 11 rushing TDs; 22 receptions; 184 receiving yards; 3 receiving TDs
• 2009 Draft Kit | Blog
"I have mixed emotions, but I have always loved to watch him play," Favre's mother, Bonita, told the Sun Herald of Biloxi. "This time,however, I thought he would stay retired and stay home. I guess he could not do it.
"They [Minnesota] seem to have a good team in place, and he liked that. I guess I need to get a Vikings jersey now."
John David Booty, who had been wearing No. 4, was assigned No. 9.
Favre, a longtime star in Green Bay, came out of retirement last season to play for the New York Jets. He retired again, only to then entertain the idea of joiningthe Vikings. Three weeks ago, Childress said the quarterback would stay retired.
The pronouncement turned out to be premature.
Two television stations were the first to report that Favre was seen boarding a plane Tuesday morning that was headed to Minneapolis.
Sources told Hattiesburg television station WDAM, which initially broke the story, that Favre had said: "We may know something by dinner."
A high-level source first told Minneapolis TV station WCCO that Favre was expected to sign a deal with the Vikings on Tuesday.
ESPN's Ed Werder reported that according to a source, Favre told close friends and family members before boarding the plane: "I'm going to playfootball.''
The decision to do so comes even though Favre has informed the team that Dr. James Andrews detected a slight tear in his right rotator cuff in May whileperforming arthroscopic surgery on the quarterback's passing shoulder in May, according to a source.
"The tear is still there and there's always a possibility something could happen with it later on,'' the source told Werder. "Hewanted to give it the best chance he could before he made a commitment. But the last three weeks, it hasn't gotten any worse and he's been workinghard. Hell, who knows? It could flare up again if they make him throw 50 or 60 balls a day."
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Brett Favre is coming back formore.
The 39-year-old quarterback turned his back on retirement for the second time in as many years, agreeing Tuesday to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
The deal is worth between $10 million to $12 million, according to ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.
The Vikings made it official with a news release early Tuesday afternoon. A news conference to introduce Favre is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
The first inkling that something was afoot came early Tuesday, when two television stations in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Minneapolis reported that the Vikingshad sent a private plane to Hattiesburg to pick up Favre.
[h4]The Herd with Colin Cowherd[/h4]
Trent Dilfer reacts to Brett Favre's return to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. Dilfer says it's worked out well for Favre, but he's not sure it will work out well for the Vikings.
More Podcasts »
Favre and his wife, Deanna, arrived to cheering fans outside the team's practice facility and was in a helmet and pads less than 90 minutes later. Hisred practice jersey was the familiar No. 4, the same number he wore for years with his now-rival Green Bay Packers.
Coach Brad Childress, who greeted the Favres at the airport, had confirmed the planned meeting in an early Tuesday e-mail to The Associated Press. Asked ifthe plan was to sign Favre, Childress replied: "In a perfect world."
Childress' wish came true shortly afterward, when the Vikings announced the signing.
The day's developments and Favre's arrival were a surreal tableau, with a throng of fans who somehow learned early on of Favre's deal with theVikings and ran alongside the SUV as it arrived at the Vikings' practice site from the airport, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, with a lonepolice officer trying to maintain order.
ESPN analyst Cris Carter reported that Childress already has told the Vikings that Favre would be starting in Friday night's preseason game against theKansas City Chiefs.
[h4]Fantasy: What to expect[/h4]
Brett Favre's addition to the Vikings should be a boon to the cast around him, ESPN.com Fantasy analyst Matthew Berry believes.
While Favre is just a borderline top-20 fantasy quarterback (he was 16th in points among QBs in 200
, Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian should see boosts in production. The presence of Favre makes Peterson the consensus No. 1 pick. Berry previously had Peterson ranked No. 2 behind Michael Turner.
Also, Berrian is now a top-20 fantasy receiver. He is currently ranked No. 26 in ESPN.com average draft position.
ESPN.com projections:
• Favre: 3,294 passing yards; 21 TDs; 19 INTs
• Berrian: 73 receptions; 1,150 yards; 7 TDs
• Peterson: 1,701 rushing yards; 11 rushing TDs; 22 receptions; 184 receiving yards; 3 receiving TDs
• 2009 Draft Kit | Blog
"I have mixed emotions, but I have always loved to watch him play," Favre's mother, Bonita, told the Sun Herald of Biloxi. "This time,however, I thought he would stay retired and stay home. I guess he could not do it.
"They [Minnesota] seem to have a good team in place, and he liked that. I guess I need to get a Vikings jersey now."
John David Booty, who had been wearing No. 4, was assigned No. 9.
Favre, a longtime star in Green Bay, came out of retirement last season to play for the New York Jets. He retired again, only to then entertain the idea of joiningthe Vikings. Three weeks ago, Childress said the quarterback would stay retired.
The pronouncement turned out to be premature.
Two television stations were the first to report that Favre was seen boarding a plane Tuesday morning that was headed to Minneapolis.
Sources told Hattiesburg television station WDAM, which initially broke the story, that Favre had said: "We may know something by dinner."
A high-level source first told Minneapolis TV station WCCO that Favre was expected to sign a deal with the Vikings on Tuesday.
ESPN's Ed Werder reported that according to a source, Favre told close friends and family members before boarding the plane: "I'm going to playfootball.''
The decision to do so comes even though Favre has informed the team that Dr. James Andrews detected a slight tear in his right rotator cuff in May whileperforming arthroscopic surgery on the quarterback's passing shoulder in May, according to a source.
"The tear is still there and there's always a possibility something could happen with it later on,'' the source told Werder. "Hewanted to give it the best chance he could before he made a commitment. But the last three weeks, it hasn't gotten any worse and he's been workinghard. Hell, who knows? It could flare up again if they make him throw 50 or 60 balls a day."
"
After all those years of not being able to hit him, do I want to hit him? Of course I want to hit him. He's an awesome guy. I wish him the best.
" -- Packers linebacker Nick Barnett, as told to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
It was concern about that injury, and the pain in both of his ankles and left knee, that discouraged Favre from signing with the Vikings before trainingcamp.
Favre, who holds almost all of the NFL's career passing records, has never been much of a fan of offseason practices, though. Last summer, he ended hisretirement with the Packers and forced a trade to the Jets, where he faded down the stretch amid problems with his throwing arm.
But Favre remained in regular communication with the Vikings' coaching staff the past three weeks, and a source said that owner Zygi Wilf had to do verylittle convincing when the two met this week near Favre's home in Hattiesburg.
"He had a lot of aches and pains and they basically needed a commitment from him before he felt he was ready to play,'' a source told Werder."He wants to be able to do the best he can do and doesn't want to disappoint them.''
Favre has been working out regularly with Oak Grove High school players in Hattiesburg, according to WDAM-TV, and has not missed a practice even aftertelling the Vikings he would remain retired.
The Vikings finished training camp last week and beat Indianapolis 13-3 in their preseason opener Friday. They got a strong performance from quarterbackSage Rosenfels, who has been competing with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job since Favre jilted theteam July 28.
The Vikings are expected to challenge for the NFC North title this season, with whomever is behind center.
Rosenfels and Jackson have had some rough moments during practice. Jackson hurt his knee, missed a few workouts and then returned, but he was out of synclast week against the Colts.
Rosenfels did well, but preseason games are tough to evaluate and Indianapolis held out all four starting defensive backs.
On Monday, Jackson, responding to the day's scuttlebutt that Favre was predicted to play in Minnesota this season, said he was not paying attention toany of the talk.
"I pretty much have said [Favre] probably will follow me even when I retire. I'll probably have to hear about it. I'm just trying to take careof my business, and I can't worry about that stuff," Jackson said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "If I let that stuff get to me,ain't no telling where I'd be right now. I just let it roll off my shoulder and just keep going. Just keep trying to get better."
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after practice Tuesday he was not surprised by Favre's return.
"I don't think anybody should be surprised by it," McCarthy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Aaron Rodgers, who inherited the starting quarterbackposition after Favre retired -- then unretired -- said, "I don't have a reaction," the Journal Sentinel reported. "It doesn't pertain tome. It has absolutely nothing to do with me. It doesn't change anything. It has nothing to do with the Green Bay Packers."
Packers linebacker Nick Barnett told the newspaper:"Ater all those years of not being able to hit him, do I want to hit him? Of course I want to hit him. He's an awesome guy. I wish him the best."
[h1]Report: Favre to get $12 million for one year[/h1]
Posted by Mike Florio on August 18, 2009 11:24 AM ET
Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Vikings will pay Brett Favre $12 million for one season of football with the team.
That matches the amount Favre earned in 2008 with the Jets, and it's only $1 million less than what Favre was due to make under the final year of his contract, which the Jets acquired last year via trade.
Cole's report contradicts past suggestions that Favre would receive an incentive-based contract that paid him based on his ability to play and/or his success.
[h1]Childress confirms it, Cook almost does[/h1]
Posted by Mike Florio on August 18, 2009 12:15 PM ET
As the news of Brett Favre's impending arrival in Minnesota continues to sink in, the indications that he'll soon be wearing a purple helmet with two-dimensional horns keep getting stronger and stronger.
According to the Associated Press, Vikings coach Brad Childress has confirmed via e-mail that Favre is traveling to Minnesota to meet with the team.
Meanwhile, agent Bus Cook -- who a day ago feigned ignorance of a potential Favre/Vikings marriage -- tells Calvin Watkins of FanHouse that a deal is "close."
The saddest comment on the current state of Favre's recent history? Our first thought after reading the two accounts was that there's still room for Favre to leave Childress standing at the altar in his Major Dad dress blues.
[h1]Favre to play for Vikings Friday against Chiefs, mom says[/h1]
tThe former three-time MVP in scheduled to land in Minnesota before noon to prepare for his 19th season in the NFL.
Favre, who retired after the 17 seasons with the Packers and again after one with the Jets, is giving it another shot against Green Bay's arch-rival Minnesota.
Brett Favre will be wearing a Vikings uniform on Friday and will see action against Kansas City, according to his mother, Bonita.
"He is going," Bonita Favre, his mom said. "I have mixed emotions, but I have always loved to watch him play. This time, however, I thought he would stay retired and stay home. I guess he could not do it.
"He told me he would always wonder 'what if?' I told him I supported him."
Bonita Favre said he son will work out Wednesday and plans to take a few reps in a preseason home game on Friday against Kansas City. The Vikings are 1-0 after a 13-3 win over Indianapolis last Friday.
"I wanted to go to the game on Friday," she said. "But I said I could not make because I have two baby showers at my house on Saturday. I think playing on Friday was part of the deal."
The Vikings, who are expected to challenge for the NFC Central title, feature running back Adrian Peterson.
"I hope he does not have to do as much," she said. "He should not have to thrown as much with the good running back. That said, I hope he does not have to throw as much and try to make things happen like he usually does.
"They seem to have a good team in place and he liked that. I guess I need to get a Vikings jersey now."
[h5] [/h5]
