Brett Favre’s Mouth Kept Him From Tampa Bay
July 20th, 2010
If Brett Favre had kept his mouth shut, him playing for the Bucs would not have been just something found on a video game.
Two years ago, in what would be Chucky’s last season in Tampa Bay, he nearly pulled off a trade to bring future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to the Bucs, despite what former Bucs general manager Bruce Almighty might (still) deny.
In talking recently with BSPN, recounted by NFL.com, Farve spoke of how his chances to come to the Bucs were very real until his mouth got in the way.
Favre also revealed aspects of his standoff with Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy. The Packers traded Favre to the New York Jets in 2008 after the quarterback changed his mind about retirement the first time.
“There was just silence,” Favre told the magazine. “I said, ‘Well, what are we gonna do?’
“They made it pretty clear I wasn’t going to play there, and I said, ‘How about the Vikings or even the Lions?’ I wanted to stay in the same division. They said that wasn’t going to happen, but maybe Tampa. I said, ‘Fine, trade me to Tampa. I’ll whip your asses in Week 4,'” Favre stated. “Maybe that was a mistake. I’m flying back to Hattiesburg thinking I’m going to the Bucs, and I get off the plane and Bus tells me I’ve been traded to the Jets. I said, ‘Bull,’ but they were smart; they released the news so I’d look like an ass if I backed out.”
Oh, how might the Bucs be different if Farve had kept his mouth shut. It’s possible Chucky would still be here. Raheem the Dream would be the Bucs defensive coordinator. Future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks may also still be here, but more likely he would have been able to exit with honor and respect last season rather than be thrown to the curb like a used beer cup.
It makes Joe wonder what might have been.
July 20th, 2010 at 8:06 am
sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
July 20th, 2010 at 8:23 am
well now we know for sure GruAllen were lying through thier teeth. Can’t say whether thats good or bad since they were probably saving face after losing him to the Jets.
I personally would not like this favre drama for my team. We were a long way away from being a SB contending team even back then, and this would have been a huge distraction. MIN was his best option.
July 20th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Oh now that’s just freakin wonderful. After I have gotten over all the BS changes, the new guy Bumbling Coach, Freeman instead of Harvin, Brooks & Dunn getting run off and every freakin thing else, we get this crap 2 years later. Thanks, Brett, jerk, dummy. I really wanted that Favre jersey, and all it would have brought to the team. Instead we got a big pile of $hit and lies on top of lies. I think I may have to join the “Eric” fan club. JimBuc, save me. BamBam, give me some stats. RustyRhino, give me the wisdom. I’m just screwed, glued and tattooed.
Someone needs to call Mall Security
July 20th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Yeah, it would have been great if we would have had a QB that wouldn’t have faded for the last four games of the season…we would’ve been playoff bound!
Wait.
July 20th, 2010 at 8:30 am
Circle the wagon Gruden haters………………….
July 20th, 2010 at 8:35 am
@Bigmac…LOL, great post. I do have to chuckle a bit when people say Gruden and Allen lied to the public, of course they did. They did not want to upset the existing QB. Not to mention it is how business operates these days anyway. No one goes on record with their plans, especially when the plan falls thru. I think you always have a better chance with a guy like Favre on your team, he is a warrior. Some of my favorite memories of football are the Sapp vs. Favre games.
July 20th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Those were some of my favorite memories too. Don’t know how many times Sapp had Farve wrapped up and Farve threw a TD when he was only 10 inches from hitting the ground!
July 20th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Everything happens for a reason. We’re better off now. That’s right, I went there, better off.
July 20th, 2010 at 9:58 am
If we were a few good players away from a SB, then Favre makes perfect sense. But we were (are) far from that.
Would you all want to see 10 posts a day on what Favre ate for breakfast and how that means he will come back for 1 more year?
Besides, he is a great HOF QB, no doubt about that. But even he would have struggled here. He had a great running game and D in MIN, and even then still threw up alot of 50-50 balls that his WRs came down with that made him look even better.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Joe always has to throw in a little red meat:
“Future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks may also still be here, but more likely he would have been able to exit with honor and respect last season rather than be thrown to the curb like a used beer cup.”
How do you “respectfully” release a player who refuses to be released? I am a huge Brooks fan, but he was past his playing days, as witnessed by the fact that no other team took him (don’t say he wanted too much money) AND he certainly did not want to retire, as witnessed by his attempt to play for other teams.
The only thing an NFL team can do with a player that cannot compete but that does not wnat to retire is release him, right?
July 20th, 2010 at 10:22 am
He can go to HELL. He’s worst than TO. We don’t need he’s drama queen ass over here.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:35 am
JimBuc, No need to apologize(again) for the how the Bucs organization released Brooks, especially seeing as you are a huge Brooks fan. Makes total sense now. Maybe if you meet him someday, you can just slap him instead.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:35 am
JimBuc:
Brooks was entering the final year of his contract when he was thrown out with the trash.
Sorry about the “red meat.” Joe doesn’t believe in lameass, boring writing. There are plenty of places to find such screed if you need to take a nap. 🙂
July 20th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Brooks would have competed at linebacker a lot more effectively than Rah coached and Dom managed.
Amazes me that bucs “fans” will turn on 55 in support of this regime.
In some ways, a large portion if bucdom deserves exaclty what it is getting.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:44 am
JimBuc, Before you go and say, again how do you respectfully release him? He could have been allowed to compete in the off-season and training camp(probablly would have beat out the other guys), to possibly fulfill that last year of his contract. I think there was more to his locker room presence and leadership, than Raheem wanted him or anybody to have.
BTW if you don’t think his leadership(alone) was sorely missed last year, then you are no huge fan of Mr. Brooks.
July 20th, 2010 at 11:02 am
k_busska, Yeah, but tell us how you really feel.
July 20th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Derrick Brooks would still be here? You’re delusional, Joe. There’s a reason he hasn’t been picked up.
July 20th, 2010 at 11:22 am
The delusional ones are those so wrapped up in Glazerplanmania, that they refuse to take the jerks to task for the manner in which they released the greatest buc of all time.
July 20th, 2010 at 11:41 am
FIRE GREG OLSON!:
Did Joe write that?
July 20th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Brooks would’ve been here last year and I guarantee he would tallied more tackles and not missed 1/2 as many as any of the other 3 backers. Sure he lost a step, but he was one of, if not the smartest backer in the game, he would’ve been in the right place @ the right time…UNLIKE the young guys. Derrick deserved better, PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!! Anyone who suggest otherwise should be quartered and hung!
July 20th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Oar — I have met Brooks actually. Anyway, note the complete absence of alternative ways to relase a first ballot HOF player that did not want to leave. Looks like you are the only one that even took a stab at it. Kudos for trying, but c’mon your solution was to at least let him make it to training camp? What would have happened when they let him go at TRAINING CAMP? Everyone — and I mean EVERYONE — would have screamed that the Bucs should have let him go ealrier so that he could find a team. The Bucs would have been the evil team that stringed him along. C’mon now oar.
Maybe you realized that your argument was not going to float, so you threw in “probably would have beat out the other guys.” Two responses. First, every other team in the league disagreed with you and still does. Harsh, but true. Second, think about what you are saying. The Bucs make a decision to rebuild and yet they should let Brooks play in front of a young guy even though the very things they are trying to accomplish is to see what the young guys have to offer? Sorry . . . You either pull the band-aid off or you don’t.
This discussion illustrates the lunacy of sports talk. Very easy for everyone to cry that the Bucs wronged Brooks. My goodness, who would want to do anything but treat Brooks with the utmost respect. He is a better person than a player and that is saying something. HOWEVER, no one can offer a REASONABLE alternative to how the Bucs let Brooks go. There is no right way to let somoen like Brooks go — when he does not want to go himself.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
You guys need to let go. He was and most likely will be the greatest Buc of all time, but the fact is that he was done. No other team signed him, plain and simple. Not even for training camp fodder. Could they have made the scene better and could we have used his leadership? Absolutely, but in the end it was the right decision. The entire team fell apart because we were too old, especially Brooks. The fact that no one has even considered him means that he was done. Sorry, but its the truth.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
JimBuc, Whatever. Ever think, had he made it through camp they would not have let him go? Ok, so what if he doesn’t beat out said rookies and or younger players? Whether he started or not. So, you don’t think having Brooks on the team last year(giving advice and leading our rookies) would have been a good idea? Again, I say then you are no huge fan of Brooks.
BTW There were teams interested, but money and being on a competive team were reasons, I’m sure.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Lets see now, if the Bucs fired Raheem Morris, I wonder if any other teams would hire him as their head coach?
I wonder if any other team would “consider” him?
Since he is the resident re-building genius, and knew more about Brooks than Brooks, I am sure he would be in very high demand.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
The current regime DIDN’T EVEN TRY to allow Brooks to leave gracefully. It was a disgrace how it was handled. Nobody with a brain would have done it that way.
Remember Shelton Quarles? I believe he resisted retirement, but Gruden/Allen worked it out so he would go out on his own terms.
If these clown had ANY class they would have handled Brooks properly.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
oar — everyon says, as you do, that there were teams interested but money and competitiveness were the “issue.” C’mon now. Brooks is not a money guy, he is a playing time guy. Note that your “proof” is “I’m sure.” In other words, you are assuming that there must have been some reason — other than ability — why no team picked him up. C’mon now. I am a huge Brooks fan. Going to see him in Canton, but his days were over.
Brooks as the “leader” or “advisor.” I think that having Broooks on the team last year would have been awesome, especially to be the leader and give advice, but what you are not accounting for is Brooks refusal to play that subordinate role. You cannot rebuild and see what your young guys have unless Brooks is gone or playing a back up role. Ever think he would not accept that?
If you think about it — objectively — which is next to impossible because we are talking aboout #55, there was no better way for it to be handled. That is the harsh reality of sports.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Thats ok, in ten years, Brooks will still be the greatest buc of all time, and Morris will be thought of just about as often as Richard Williamson……………………..or Leeman Bennett.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Louie the Hater — if you can accept that Brooks did not want to go (and acknowledge the OBVIOUS difference between Shelton Quarles and #55) what was the way to “handle Brooks properly”? Don’t just sit there and scream, offer an REASONABLE alternative. How should they have done it? The parameters are:
1. Brooks does not want to retire
2. Brooks would not accept an “honorary” role (i.e a backup leader)
3. Bucs want to rebuild
How should they have done it?
July 20th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
eric — just checking. . . Morris did NOT fire Brooks. You get that, right?
July 20th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Morris didn’t cut Brooks?
Wasn’t he the head coach? Didn’t he and Dom break the news to Brooks and hold a press conference about it?
Actually, according to Mr. Duemig, who knows Brooks well, he was prepared to take a mentoring role.
If another team had picked up Brooks, would that really change your opinion about whether the release was proper? Or would you still be saying “we were rebuilding and had to do it”.
July 20th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
@BigMacAttack
LOL Wisdom…..
Okay, if and i say IF Farve would have came here to play, we would have had a good team! With someone who i enjoyed watching play, and also enjoyed watching get sacked by the BUCS! But only, if and again i say IF he decides when we signed him that he WILL play 2 season, not this will he or won’t he crap he has put other teams through.
Not disrespecting Farve one of the best QB’s ever! But as a fan i would not have liked the guessing game of does he want to make ( enter # here ) million this season or will he “only ” let us know sometime during training Camp.. I wonder how the players & fans who where here then would have described the taste of that in there gizzard’s..
July 20th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
And by the way Brett Farve….
Damn! DAMN! DAMN!~thanks for putting your foot in your mouth….@$$#**%&!!
July 20th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
If only the Dream would be so noncommittal about being the Head Coach.
Unfortunately, he shows up spot on time every day.
July 20th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Eric — I am ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED that Duemig defended Brooks. To this day I cannot beleive that Duemig defended his good friend Brooks. Amazing. 😉
July 20th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@JimBuc, you forgot the most important parameter:
4) Bucs wanted to save money.
July 20th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
JImbuc,
Actually, Mr. Duemig defends Rah also, so hes a good source. I think he stated he got his info directly from 55. I am no fan of Duemig, given his rabid criticism of Gruden, but I don’t think he would misrepresent what Brooks told him. Brooks said he wanted to train Geno to be his replacement.
What is your source that Brooks would not accept a mentoring role?
July 20th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
JimBuc, “Ever think he would not accept that?” No, I would never think Brooks would do that. He was giving advice to Ruud and several other players during offseason, even after being released. That is the man Brooks is. Not about money? No, not all the time, but he did holdout on us one contract year. He also renegotiated his contract twice for cap reasons and to help sign players. Unlike Simeon, he was a team player.
BTW I don’t know of any players in the league “that does not want to be released”? Can you name any in your world?
Don’t worry, it boils down to this. I don’t think they should have released Brooks or they way they did it. You on the other hand, are happy/content with the releasing of Brooks and the way they released him.
July 20th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
nobody is happy with how Brooks was released. But we don’t know what happened behind closed doors. Management has alot of respect for what he has done, if there was a nice way to release him I’m sure they would have done that because they aren’t complete morons (don’t even start haters). We don’t know whose fault it is.
Bottom line is all this will be forgotten in a few years when he is inducted into our ring of honor.
July 20th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Seriously, I don’t know how it could’ve been any worse having Brooks here. Would it have REALLY hurt this team if he had been around for another year??!!
@JimBuc
You cannot rebuild and see what your young guys have unless Brooks is gone or playing a back up role. Ever think he would not accept that?
As Eric mentioned above, Duemig said that Brooks wanted to train Geno to be his replacement. So YES, he would’ve accepted a lesser role. Let Brooks return, compete, and mentor the the other guys. Let Black and Geno Hayes earn their jobs, not have them given to them by Raheem!!! Seriously, the two of them really didn’t do anything last year that impressed me. They don’t have to be “thrown into the fire” from day 1 for us to see what they have. Let play until they PROVE they can start!! Until then, they could’ve rotated with Derrick and learned under him. I mean they really didn’t even earn their jobs last year. Did you see them competing with anyone??
Personally, I think it’s a little insulting to let him go and then you go 3-13 the next year. This is the FACE OF THE FRANCHISE FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, and the face of the great Buc defense! I don’t care what anyone says. The great Raheem and St. Dominick could’ve FOUND a way to let Brooks finish out the 1 year he had left here and leave in a much better way. It would not have hurt Raheem’s precious work of art he’s put together here in Tampa.
July 20th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
JImbuc,
I take it you have no source.
July 20th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Gary, you wonder why I called you out the other day.
“, if there was a nice way to release him I’m sure they would have done that because they aren’t complete morons”
Derrick has told the story a couple of times about how he found out, about how things were going right along until the infamous day, and then BAM, he was blindsided! Derrick Brooks gave everything to the Bucs, and $hit all over him that day. There were options, there could have been discussions. They never asked him any of it. I know you’re a positive guy and when you say things like we don’t know who’s fault it was, that is just plain naive. All anyone needed to do to understand the occurrence was to open up their ears and listen to what Brooks said. His integrity is the highest and trust in his word wholly. So, wake up man.
July 20th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
I thought I remembered listening to Derrick on Sirius talking about how the Bucs offered him a personell role to mentor/lead/coach/etc. but he turned it down because he wanted to play, and figured someone would pick him up. This was when New orleans was in the mix and Derrick was still pretty confident he would land a job. I think that would have been the only reasonable alternative; i.e. staying on as a non-playing (barring a slew of injuries) mentor to the young bucs (pun intended).
Derrick, understandably, turned that down and we (having no other viable options) released him to pursue other employment. I love brooks as much as any Bucs fan, but i see no problem with either parties’ stance/decision.
July 20th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Leningan, you are one of the few that actually account for Brooks’ desire to play. Everyone quickly assuems that the team is to blame for everything. Has Brooks filed his retirement papers with the league?
July 20th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
I would love to see Brooks come back in a coaching role. Whenever a high profile populer player is released everyone is upset. Think back to Lynch. You see it all over the league. It would have been nice if they gave him the option to restructure his contract like they did for Allstot, but who knows…maybe they did. I agree his time was up, but I also agree that he would have helped the team.
July 20th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Being a player/coach and just being a coach/mentor are too different things. They could have had the same leadership/coaching from him while he was playing. Afterall, isn’t that what he had done for us these past several years?
Heaven forbid a player that wants to keep on playing.
July 20th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
The insulting thing about it is that a Hall of Fame player was sacked by a first year head coach who had no credentials and was the quality control intern during the Super Bowl year.
It would have been different if a legit coach had told him his time was up. But Raheem Morris telling D. Brooks that? Sorry, that dog wont hunt in bucsland. Who the hell was he to tell Brooks he was done?
Rah was the errand boy for the Glazer boys to trim their payroll. A real man would have refused to do it.
July 20th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Here is an awesome Brooks link if any of you guys haven’t seen it…including Joe. Brooks is the man!
http://www.hulu.com/watch/137384/in-their-own-words-derrick-brooks
July 20th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Brooks is garbage
July 21st, 2010 at 8:25 am
Alright BigMac. If all the negative things we heard about Brooks release are true, then I admit that was pathetic. You don’t do that to him.
I have a problem with him finding out the same way we did. But I am not going to totally discount the fact that he is a proud man as well, and might not have wanted to take a lesser role which was proven by the fact that he kept looking for a job elsewhere.
I am not naive or have my eyes closed. All I’m saying is that there are 2 sides to the story. All we know is one side, and however trustworthy Brooks is, there is something else going on JUST LIKE MANY OTHER POSTERS HAVE COMMENTED ON ALREADY! So stop calling me out like I am the only one who shares this opinion.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:18 am
BigMac, Great link thanks. Wow, he even talks about how it was great to be able to play and learn from Hardy. Imagine that, veterans teaching on the team.