Third Time’s A Charm? Brett Favre Announces Return To Vikings

According to a report by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole, Vikings coach Brad Childress antics throughout the Favre retirement saga has caused him to lose to respect of the locker room. Cole was also told by at least one player that Favre has little regard for his coach.

On Tuesday, Childress pulled a stunt that confused many of the players. Childress had special teams coach Brian Murphy and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell tell reporters that three Vikings players were really in the team facility, rather than aboard a private plane ferrying Favre between Minnesota and Mississippi. The subterfuge struck reportedly struck many o the team’s players and pointlessly deceitful.

Now that Brett Favre has decided to return to the NFL for a 20th season, the question becomes what to make of his ankle. He had offseason surgery and many took that as a sign that he’d be returning. That wasn’t necessarily the case at the time, he says, and his health, particularly his ankle, is certainly a question mark moving forward.

Favre says surgery was just the first step in the process of finding out whether he could return to the Vikings. Returning from his shoulder injury in 2009, he said his arm never felt better but that’s not quite the case yet with his ankle.

Brett Favre’s return has predictably caused a lot of folks in Minnesota to be very happy.

Two guys that may not be so happy are Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

Brett Favre had a visit from a few of his Vikings teammates on Monday night while he was still deciding whether he would return to the NFL for a 20th season. The three players -- Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen and Ryan Longwell -- told him he didn’t need to play like he did last year but they still wanted him to return.

His teammates told him that he didn’t owe them anything but, because of the team they’ve put together (and, frankly, because he waited until the last minute to decide), he felt he owed it to the organization to return.

Brett Favre announced his return for the 2010 season Wednesday afternoon, following a practice with the Vikings. It’s practically become an annual summer tradition: Memorial Day leads into July 4th which is followed by Favre Decision Day (Aug. 18) as camps open and the warmer weather begins to wane. But no more.

Shortly after practicing with the Vikings on Wednesday, Brett Favre took to the podium and announced what many already suspected: he is returning to Minnesota for the 2010 season, his 20th year in the NFL.

Favre said that the decision “was very tough,” and that he “could make a case for both - playing and not playing,” but in the end, this comeback (his third, for those scoring at home) was about his teammates. “I think ultimately as much has been made about the three guys coming down, it was really about the team.”

The Vikings released a statement on Wednesday morning announcing that Brett Favre will practice with the team on Wednesday. If he’s practicing, then that means he’s passed a physical.

Practice will start at 11:30 a.m. (ET) and go for about two hours before a 2:30 p.m. (ET) press conference, where Favre is expected to take questions about his return.

The Vikings now have Brett Favre back in tow, a move they’re expected to announce late Wednesday morning.

Now the question becomes how much it cost them. Favre signed a two-year, $25 million deal last year that’s set to pay him $13 million in 2010.

The Minnesota Vikings released a statement saying that head coach Brad Childress will address the media following the team’s practice at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday.

The statement said that Favre’s availability is “to be determined,” but cameras are allowed to be present at the practice, meaning that we will know far in advance of the press conference whether Favre was taking part in drills with the team.

It’s nearly official: Brett Favre is back.

The Vikings quarterback did indeed take a flight from Hattiesburg, MS back to Minneapolis Tuesday afternoon. He was chauffeured back to Winter Park by friend and Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell upon arriving at the airport.

As if there were any doubt, Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre appears poised to announce his return to the NFL for the 2010 season.

An email from his official website to Pro Football Talk says this:

On Tuesday morning the Minnesota Vikings took to the practice field missing three players: DE Jared Allen, G Steve Hutchinson and K Ryan Longwell.

The reason for their absence?

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has the latest Brett Favre update.

Favre of course is from Hattiesburg (and where he’s been practicing) so that’s where the speculation stems from. There’s no confirmation that Favre was actually on the plane and was visiting Dr. Andrews but connecting the dots that would appear to be the case.

Brett Favre told ESPN’s Ed Werder on Wednesday that he would play for the Vikings in 2010 if his surgically repaired ankle heals properly.

Now his agent, Bus Cook, has gone on the record with the same stance.

Brett Favre, who on Tuesday reportedly told the Vikings he would not be returning for the 2010 NFL season, told ESPN’s Ed Werder on Wednesday that he has not made any decision regarding his future yet, and that if he’s healthy, he will indeed suit up for the Vikings.

Favre added that he has not sent any text messages to Minnesota’s staff indicating he was retiring (Adam Schefter had reported that Favre sent a text saying, “This is it”). And that was the last time anyone ever heard about Brett Favre and text messages.

Amid conflicting reports over whether Brett Favre has told teammates that he will retire (in 2010), Favre has apparently returned to the high school field near his Hattiesburg, Mississippi home to work out, according to NFL Network’s Scott Hanson.

Of course, Favre had started practicing on the Hattiesburg field back at the beginning of July, when it was widely assumed he would return to the Vikings after coming so close to making the Super Bowl last season. So what does it mean now? Is he rehabbing his injured ankle, in anticipation of returning to Minnesota? Or does he just LOVE FOOTBALL and comfortably slinging it around with his buddies? Who knows.

When news first broke of Brett Favre’s (possible) retirement, Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune speculated that the Vikings could offer Favre more money to play a 20th season.

Zulgad now reports that the Vikings are indeed willing to give Favre some extra motivation.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the The Detroit News is reporting late Tuesday evening that Brett Favre tells Vikings he is going to retire.

Of course, as typical with Favre Retirement Watch reports, this could not be confirmed by the Vikings.

On Tuesday there were several reports that Brett Favre would not be returning to the Vikings in 2010 and he would soon announce his retirement.

One reporter close to the Favre family says there has been no decision and on Tuesday Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell said he talked to Favre in between training camp practices and he says there’s no decision that has been made.

Several reports on Tuesday indicated that Vikings QB Brett Favre will retire and he has begun telling Vikings official he is not returning for a 20th season.

Al Jones of the Biloxi Sun Herald is stationed near Favre in Mississippi and cites a family source that no decision has been made on his future.

Vikings coach Brad Childress held his normal, daily training camp press conference at 12:30 ET today. Here are the “highlights,” as he was peppered with questions about Brett Favre possibly retiring.

When asked if he’s heard the reports that Favre is telling people he will retire:

Though Brett Favre will reportedly announce his retirement on Tuesday, it’s possible the Vikings could entice him back, according to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Favre signed a two-year, $25 million contract before the 2009 season.

[Insert mandatory ‘yes, yes, we’ve heard all this before’]

Brett Favre is reportedly telling Vikings officials that he will not return for a 20th season.

The report comes from Vikings beat writer Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Zulgad also reports that Favre will issue a press release sometime Tuesday to announce his retirement.

Brett Favre has been rehabbing his ankle in Hattiesburg, MS after having surgery over two months ago. The overwhelming expectation is that Favre will announce sometime in mid-August that he’s returning to the Vikings for the 2010 season but the quarterback insists he hasn’t made up his mind yet.

Part of the reason for the indecision for his ankle rehab, which isn’t going exactly as planned.