For the second time in under a year, Brett Favre has decided he's done with professional football.
It's hard to believe Favre was sincere when he told the New York Jets that he was retiring after his one season in Gotham; the 17th of his illustrious and Hall of Fame-worthy career. Sure, he actually filed the paperwork -- unlike his last go-round -- but we've seen how easily paperwork can be updated.
Let's just assume, for now, that Favre and agent James "Bus" Cook have made their final decision and aren't using back channels to negotiate a release and then a contract with a particular NFC North team.
The question remains: were the Packers better off without Favre in 2008?
Statistics, for the most part, will say no. Favre's Jets finished 9-7 and would have fared much, much better were it not for a late-season swoon for which Favre is atop the blame list. The Packers, under Aaron Rodgers, went 6-10. Edge: Favre.
Favre threw for 3,472 yards with 22 touchdowns and finished with a passer rating of 81.0 (it was 95.7 in 2007). Pretty good numbers for a 39-year-old gunslinger, but he still led the NFL with 22 interceptions, his highest total in three seasons. More so, he was terrible down the stretch, throwing nine interceptions as New York -- 8-3 and considered a contender for the AFC title -- went 1-4 in the final five games and missed the playoffs.
Rodgers, meanwhile, did what he could. He completed 63 percent of his 536 passes for 4,038 yards with 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He had the team in playoff contention until the defense finally crumbled and nullified just about any effort made on the offensive side of the ball.
When it comes to numbers, the nod goes to Rodgers in a heartbeat.
In the locker room, well ... Rodgers was actually in the locker room, which couldn't be said for Favre during his last few years with Green Bay. Rodgers spent time with his teammates off the field. He worked with understudy Matt Flynn. He was a true teammate.
Favre? Well, following the Jets final game, he was called out for a questionable work ethic by his teammates and his head coach got fired.
Again, the edge goes to Rodgers.
Where does that leave Favre? The Packers' brass claimed they wanted to "protect his football legacy." In interviews, he's scoffed at that notion. But even the most unashamed Favre supporters have to admit that, even without the drama related to his divorce with the Packers, his last season (if it truly is his last season) left him looking like another jock that just didn't know when to hang up the cleats.
Favre claims he has no regrets about coming back for another season and doing it in New York. That's a fine, plausible comment. But let's face it, despite the marvelous mid-season stretch that had all of "Favre Nation" loudly screaming "I told you so" to anybody within earshot, it was painfully obvious that Favre was well past his prime.
Sure, you can blame the torn muscle in his arm. Again, that's fair. But how would that have made any difference to the Packers' 6-10 campaign? Would he have fared better with the same pitiful defensive unit that plagued Aaron Rodgers and the Packers? Probably not. Would the muscle not have torn had he played one last season in Green Bay? There's no way to make an accurate guess when it comes to medical conditions, but it's highly likely that the bitter cold of Green Bay winters would have done little to help Favre down the stretch.
Someday, Favre, the Packers and fans will kiss and make up. He, Deanna and the kids will receive a standing ovation from a sold-out Lambeau Field crowd as the team retires his number and presents him with a brand-new riding mower. All will be forgiven and everybody will be happy.
Until then, though, we're left with the image of Favre in a foreign uniform, trying in vain to prove he was right.
