So, that’s it, then. Brett Favre lasts one season with the Vikings. Several news organizations are citing sources saying Favre starting calling Vikings players and coaches last night to tell them he’s retiring.
ESPN is also reporting on the contents of text messages Favre has been sending.
The tendency is to dismiss it as just Favre being Favre, but logic says there’s really no good reason to come back. He had a miracle run to the NFC Championship Game last year based partly on that — miracles — and even if he did come back at age 41, the odds are that the season would be less satisfying, not more. Why come back when you can go out relatively on top?
That wasn’t the case a year ago. Favre was coming off a horrible season with the New York Jets and he wanted to prove he could still play. He proved it. What’s left to prove?
Not everyone buys the argument. “History can’t always be our guide, and I’m sure some of you probably think I’m just in denial. Trust me, I’m not. You’re not using your capacity as an intelligent human being if you don’t have deep, deep reservations about the sincerity of Favre’s mindset right now,” football commentator Kevin Seifert says.
Vikings coach Brad Childress will talk to the media about this later this morning. In the meantime, go about your day as if life were normal.