Bold guesses on Favre’s durability

Recently, quite a few NFL players announced retirement, and most of them are around 30 years old and none is older than 40. That’s normal in NFL, but it made me more curious about the durability of Minnesota Vikings quarterback, 41-year-old Brett Favre.

I have to guess hard why Favre could still play so well when he was 40 years old, two years after he first announced retirement. He never retired for real sense and returned to a different team every time after he announced the end of his NFL career. People got fed up with his uncertainties, but were still amazed by his excellent performance. By so far this season, Favre has not made any announcement on retirement or return, but he is highly expected to wear back his Brett Favre jersey because his performance in 2009 season has convinced people of his capability and durability. But why is he so durable while most other players end career shortly after 30th birthday or just have decreasing value even if they stay to age 40?

I have to doubt that whether the quarterback we saw on field was really the Brett Favre we talked about? Is there another man like Favre and playing as well so he and Favre can play in turn? If so, both men could have enough rest before playing his next game. I also guessed that Favre may use some kind of steroids to make his body stronger. He is 41 years old and a grandfather now, I can hardly believe he can do even better than he did while younger, and I even doubt he has a twin brother or clone to play for him when he is not in good condition. Oh, Vikings fans forgive me, I’ve just read too many conspiracy novels.

Vikings said Favre’s surgery was expectable

While a lot of people were excited about Brett Favre’s surgery on his left ankle, the responses from the Minnesota Vikings were not with much surprise. Calling it promising news, most of the Vikings said the move was just expected long before it really happened.

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe’s words may represent quite a lot of his fellow teammates. Shiancoe said that Favre had to change some part of his body if he had even the slightest intention to play his 20th NFL season, and leading the Vikings so close to Super Bowl XLIV could just make the quarterback want more success in a new season. None of the Vikings, either player or coaching staff or even officials, has got any information from Favre on his playing status in 2010 season, but they all take the latest surgery as a strong suggestion of his plan to wear back the purple and gold Brett Favre jersey. If their wish comes true, Favre would be the first grandpa winning Super Bowl in the league.

The Vikings are still carrying on their offseason plans without a confirmed starting quarterback. They are confident that Favre will return to take the job back. Favre himself also used to say that playing with his former rivals gave him good feelings and the 2009 season could the best one he has had during his 19-year NFL career.

With or Without Favre Vikings have same chance to win

Leading the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC appearance last season, starting quarterback Brett Favre has been expected by many Vikings fans to return for his 20th NFL season and help the Vikings win a Super Bowl championship in 2010 season. However, they may have overrated Favre’s role in Vikings’ win.

Indeed, Favre’s arrival made the Vikings much more threatening in competition for the championship in 2009 season, and he could be the only quarterback that was able to make it at age 40. If he retires, the Vikings would suddenly fall into a leaderless panic and started the 2010 season in awful way. As a 19-year veteran quarterback, Favre has been a master in passing game and always a great leading role. Without him, the Vikings will look more vulnerable with a weaken offense. However, Favre’s existence could also be a weak point of the Vikings. While his accuracy and leadership could help the team to score points, his aging body is also a target of opponent team’s defensive players. The New Orleans Saints defensive players just made that happen during the NFC game last season. As a result of the attack, Favre had to undergo a surgery to repair his ankle last Friday and needs more time to consider resuming his NFL career.

What if Favre does not make a return? Other quarterbacks in Vikings jerseys will have a competition for starting job and most likely Tarvaris Jackson will win back his starting job finally. After one year of learning from Favre and several years of preparation for starting job, he have some breakout performance during the regular season and keep the hope alive for Vikings to have another winning season.

Vikings coach Childress had no conclusion on Favre’s surgery

After the media burst into crazy reports on Brett Favre’s surgery that was reported to be done on Friday morning, the Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress has been somewhat silent. He did not return any message to requests for the surgery’s indication, but did tell some friends that it was still too early to make any conclusion at the moment.

Earlier reports said that Favre’s doctor suggested the quarterback to have an ankle surgery before wearing back his Vikings jersey to play football again. However, Favre denied that the surgery would determine his decision on return or retire. However, on the day prior to the surgery Favre bet with his Alma Mater’s baseball team the Golden Eagles on the team’s playoff appearance. He said if the Golden Eagles managed to get a pass for the College World Series, he would return to NFL for his 20th season. Linking that bet with the surgery, a lot of people believe that Favre was actually indicating his possible career resuming.

However, Childress still insisted that he and the Vikings would wait for Favre’s final decision and would not push him even after the surgery. Indeed, the 40-year-old veteran, who is turning 41 in October, definitely needs more time for recovery than young players. He can still reserve his right to make a late decision.

Terry Bradshaw plans to forestall Favre with earlier private signing

After knowing that the Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre will have a private signing in July, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw also announced that he would also offer autographs to Steelers fans and he will make it happen one week earlier than Favre.

Bradshaw used to criticize Favre for running people around by changing his minds from time to time. And he recently said that he hated the way Favre squeezes money from his faithful fans by asking for hundreds of dollars to sign his name on the Favre-related items from fans. In order to prove that he could much more for fans than Favre, Bradshaw announced that he would offer his autograph for free on from July 7th and accepted anything related to his former team the Steelers and set the number limit twice as Favre’s to 200 items. What’s more attractive, the former NFL star quarterback said he would send a free Bradshaw jersey in return to the owner of the first item he receives.

However, I’m afraid Bradshaw will not receive more than 100 items from fans even though he does not ask for money. He has been no longer a popular star NFL player for long and his offer will not be taken seriously as he did not release any details on how his private signing will run and where the items should be sent.

Vikings signed QB Jackson while waiting for Favre’s decision

Now the Minnesota Vikings are more confident with their quarterback plan for the 2010 season. While last season’s starting quarterback Brett Favre still needs more time to think about his playing status in the new season, the Vikings had backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson sign his tender offer to remain in Vikings jersey.

Being a restricted free agent when this offseason began, Jackson received the tender offer worth $1.176 million from Vikings so that he could stay with the team as a backup quarterback for Favre, or even as starting quarterback if Favre eventually decides not to wear back his No. 4 jersey. But I guess Jackson would not have that high expectation this time to avoid the heavy disappointment he experienced last offseason when his starting job was taken away after Favre changed his retiring plan to join the Vikings.

As the day of 2010 draft is coming close, there is higher and higher expectation that Favre will make his final decision soon to end the speculations. However, as the Vikings have made it clear that their main targets in the draft would be cornerbacks and now they re-signed Jackson, it is just less necessary for Favre to make a fast decision. So while he is taking his time to enjoy family life, we could just take our time to make more guesses.

Now who is the best quarterback?

After led the Minnesota Vikings to the second loss of the season, quarterback Brett Favre failed to move up to be the most valuable player of the league. Instead, the starting quarterbacks of the two unbeaten teams are now much more competitive than the quarterback wearing No.4 Vikings jersey.

Leading the New Orleans Saints to the season’s 12th win by throwing for 419 yards, Drew Brees received the most votes for Meter MVP. Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts helped the team to win their 21st regular-season game and he is the No.2 choice for the MVP.

With still four games left for the season, Favre may still have the chance to show he is the best. But it is the same with Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, let alone quarterbacks ranking behind Favre. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers surely would not like to stay out of the top 3 candidates.

Where is your favorite player in Pro Bowl votes rank?

With three weeks to go and 2010 Pro Bowl voting still continuing on NFL.com/probowl, are you aware where is your favorite player in the votes rank now? If you are a fan of Peyton Manning, you will be glad to know that the quarterback wearing No. 18 Indianapolis Colts jersey is now ranking No.1 with 853,565 votes.

The top three are all quarterbacks, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is ranking second with 848,624 votes and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre is ranking the third with 840,498 votes.

The other players ranking top 10 are: the fourth Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, the fifth Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, the sixth New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the seventh Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson, the eighth Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark, the ninth Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and the tenth Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

Fans can buy tickets to the 2010 Pro Bowl at www.NFL.com/probowl and www.TICKETMASTER.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

Hall of Fame WR considered it is better for Favre to retire than come back

We have talked about Brett Favre's possible coming back a lot. Finally someone standed out and suggest Favre to stop all of these retire-and-back plays. During the time he was making the rounds promoting his new reality TV series "4th and Long", Hall of Fame WR Michael Irvin said that it was time for Favre to retire for good. He told the Los Angeles Times:

"This is what's killing everybody. Every time Favre says, 'I want to come back,' it's like everybody on ESPN says, 'Whatever team he says he wants to come to, he makes them automatically a Super Bowl contender.'

"They said that same stuff last year with the Jets, and Favre gave out toward the end of the season."

Irvin admitted that Favre has the talent for football, but if he comes back to play against the Packers, he would hurt a lot of fans who used to support him for long.

Shoulder injury is no longer problem, Favre is considering coming back

It is reported that QB Brett Favre had shoulder surgery last month and is currently considering coming back to field. If he really returns, a lot of changes will happen in the world of NFL.


At the moment, there is a competition for Vikings quarterback spot between Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson, if Favre comes back, the competition will become nonsense, but the value of Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin will increase.

Favre is considered as a No. 2 fantasy quarterback. He started last season on fire and finished with 22 touchdowns, 22 interceptions. And that is his lowest yardage total in six seasons.