Story Created:
Aug 17, 2010 at 4:11 PM PST
Story Updated:
Aug 17, 2010 at 4:11 PM PST
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.—Brett Favre is back in the building.
The 40-year-old quarterback returned to Minnesota Tuesday, arriving in a private jet trimmed in the Vikings’ purple and gold with three teammates who were sent to Hattiesburg, Miss., to bring him back for one more shot at a Super Bowl.
This time around, Favre got a ride to Vikings headquarters from kicker and close friend Ryan Longwell—last year, when he joined Minnesota, head coach Brad Childress was at the wheel. Longwell’s black SUV was followed by three helicopters from local television stations and pulled into Vikings headquarters as dozens of fans cheered and photographers snapped pictures. At one point, Favre waved to the media and fans.
“Circus in Winter Park,” tight end Visanthe Shiancoe tweeted.
Favre’s website posted a message earlier saying “stay tuned for breaking news from the Minnesota Vikings today on Brett Favre’s possible return.”
“Brett Favre for President!!” receiver Bernard Berrian tweeted.
Presumably, Favre did not make the trip just to tell the Vikings he was retiring, but the team still had not given an official confirmation that the star quarterback will play this year. He is, however, under contract—the second season in a two-year, $25 million deal.
The Vikings issued a media schedule for Wednesday, announcing that coach Brad Childress will hold his regular news conference following practice. The team also said that a “media availability with QB Brett Favre is to be determined.”
Favre will turn 41 in October and has flirted with retirement for years, while playing for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Jets and now the Vikings. He threw 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season to help Minnesota reach the NFC title game.
The three-time MVP had been thinking about hanging it up again this year after injuring his ankle in the NFC championship loss to New Orleans in January. He had surgery on his left ankle in June, and told teammates and some team officials earlier this month that it hadn’t healed enough for him to return for a 20th NFL season.
Yet no one in the organization fully bought into that—partly because they went through a similar ordeal in 2009.
Last year, Favre told the team on the eve of training camp that he was going to stay retired, only to return the Tuesday after their first preseason game. The Vikings played their first exhibition game of 2010, a 28-7 win over the Rams Saturday.
Favre visited Dr. James Andrews in Florida last week to get a checkup on his ankle and the Vikings sent Longwell, Jared Allen and Steve Hutchinson—three of his closest friends on the team—to Mississippi to woo him one final time.
Favre proved last year that he didn’t need all that extra sweating in training camp, delivering one of his finest seasons and leading the Vikings to the brink of the Super Bowl.
He took a beating at the Superdome, yet still threw for 310 yards and a touchdown. But he also threw two interceptions, the last one in Saints territory at the end of regulation that cost the team a chance a game-winning field goal try.
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