Jets quarterback Brett Favre admitted today that he spoke with Detroit Lions president Matt Millen a few weeks ago. But, he says he did not give the Lions any useful information about how to approach playing the Packers.
"I didn't give him any game planning," Favre said Wednesday. "I haven't been in that offense in over a year. I don't know what else to tell you. It was pretty simple."
For 15 minutes, Favre answered questions about Jay Glazer's report that he called the Lions before their game against the Packers Sept. 14 in Detroit. The Packers won the game, 48-25.
Glazer reported Sunday that Favre had called the Lions and spent more than an hour on the phone with defensive coaches, presumably to help them in preparation for playing the Packers.
Favre said he spoke with Millen one day while traveling home from the Jets' training facility. He said the two spoke for roughly 25 minutes.
"When Matt called me and was talking about hunting and told me that he lived an hour from here, don't think for a second I wasn't thinking, 'Now, surely he wants to know something,'" Favre said.
"Yeah, I played for the Packers for 16 years and we played against the Lions a bunch, but it's no secret what we did against them. I don't have a playbook from Green Bay. I didn't send the playbook. I didn't call him and say, 'Look, if you do this, you're going to win the game.' I didn't do that.
"I did not call the Lions, nor did I call Tony Romo," Favre said, referring to a widely reported conversation he had with the Cowboys' quarterback. "I don't know what else to tell everyone, but I'm not calling people."
The Packers beat Detroit twice last season, including a 37-26 victory in November when Favre completed 20 passes in a row.
"We went empty formation and just keep throwing completion after completion," Favre said he told Millen. "They study film, they know what type of plays. ... Once again, I don't want to make this any bigger than it is."
New York reporters, who missed a chance to ask Favre about the story on Sunday, pressed the issue today because of Favre's messy exit from Green Bay. Still, he held firm.
"I'm well aware of the perception of what's going on," Favre said. "Aren't you and isn't everyone else? Believe me, I'm trying my best to help this team win, the New York Jets, and spending no time trying to make sure the Packers lose. I've got enough on my plate, believe me... Nothing happened that was any different than happens any other day. But the fact I was in Green Bay for so long and what happened this off-season, that makes it a big deal."
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.