Favre to Redskins Rumors Ring Hollow

First off, let's clarify that most of these "rumors" being thrown around about where Brett Favre will eventually land are hardly rumors at all. They are mostly pure speculation: fans and writers scouring NFL rosters, projecting where he may be a good fit. To date, there appears to be no hard evidence linking Favre to anything but his living room couch in Mississippi.

But it's mid-July, and that means there really isn't much to talk about in sports these days. So, we might as well squeeze every last ounce out of the Favre speculation as we can.

One interesting note in all of this madness is the media's relationship with Favre. Normally, the media is accused of dissecting and tearing down people in the limelight, especially in sports. But in Favre's case, I think we're seeing the opposite application. The media seems to be hearkening back to the 1950's when they coddled and protected star athletes and entertainers. Favre has always been romanticized-- and in many cases, rightfully so. He certainly has the overall statistical chops, and he has clearly endeared himself to throngs of NFL with his boyish approach to the game and wild enthusiasm and toughness.

However, a few things get overlooked amidst all the romance.

Since Favre last led the Packers to the Super Bowl in 1997, Green Bay has played in 9 playoff games.

His record in those games is 3-6. He has thrown 14 touchdowns passes against 18 interceptions. That record also includes the only three playoff losses in the history of Lambeau Field. And two of those interceptions have been of the back-breaking variety. In 2004, the Packers had the Eagles on the ropes, but Favre uncorked an inexplicably bad pass that was hauled in by Eagles safety Brian Dawkins. Philly stole the momentum and the win. Then, of course, we have Favre's overtime interception against the Giants in the NFC Championship Game last January. These are plays that are supposed to be made by young QB's learning the ropes, not chiseled veterans approaching the sunset of their careers.

Even if you are like me, and find Favre to be overrated historically in the pantheon of NFL QB's, no one can deny his overall contribution to the game and his rightful place in Canton. And his status as the most beloved Packer of all-time is well deserved.

But NFL teams should not be blinded by his legacy. They should instead focus on the reality.

As a Redskins fan, I for one, am fundamentally opposed to Brett Favre joining my team. There is no doubt that Favre would generate some excitement, and of course, I'd be intruiged to see him in the burgundy and gold. But at this point in his career, he is simply not worth the investment. Teams like the Redskins, who have a young QB (Jason Campbell) waiting to blossom would be better served to see what they have on their hands, rather than rolling the dice with Favre in his last hurrah. Yes, it's possible that Favre could lead a team like Washington to an extra victory or two that Campbell would not, but there is no evidence (based on the above statistics) to show that Favre is likely to lead a team through the playoffs and onto the Super Bowl.

A team like Minnesota makes some sense. They have a solid roster, but an absolute void at QB. There would be little risk in acquiring Favre-- he could only make them better and they would not be risking damaging a young prospects career. But Favre joining an NFC North team seems ridiculously unlikely, and there are few other teams that meet the general criteria for a good fit.

That leaves the Packers in a real tight spot. They have geared their entire off-season towards preparing Aaron Rodgers to take over the team. If Favre returns, they will risk alienating Rodgers to the point of no return and/or putting so much pressure on him that they could crush his chances of success.

Here's the bottom line: If Brett Favre really wants to play football in 2008, he will be on a roster somewhere. It appears the bridges leading back to Green Bay have burned, which can only result in Favre wearing a different jersey next season. Count me as one fan hoping that jersey is purple.