It took two days of telephone calls, but it now appears that the Minnesota Vikings are waiting for Brett Favre’s decision. That’s it.
If Favre, 39, decides he will play a 19th season in the National Football League, it’s all but guaranteed that he will play in Minnesota. In fact, my sources tell me that the only reason the Vikings haven’t extended the contract of safety/halfback Antoine Winfield is because they’re waiting for Favre to make a decision. Sources at WCCO radio in Minneapolis told me yesterday that Favre will cost the Vikings at least $10 million dollars a season and if the quarterback is healthy enough to play, he’ll probably want a two-year deal plus an option on a third season.
A report at espn.com this week suggesting Vikings head coach Brad Childress demanded that Favre decide this week whether he will join the team, “is probably not accurate.”
“The coaching staff would like Brett to take part in some kind of off-season workout with the club,” said my source in Minneapolis today, “but there were no demands made.”
Favre, who wanted to play for Minnesota last season, but was unable to do so because of his contract with the Green Bay Packers, is now free to sign with anyone. He retired at the end of last season and was subsequently released by the New York Jets (the team to which the Packers traded him). Now that he’s free, it’s likely he will try to get his injured right arm in shape and play for the Vikings in 2009.
Both the Vikings and Favre would like to know if last week’s shoulder surgery has repaired the problems that negatively affected his ability to throw last season. Family members have reported that he has been passing the football since last week’s surgery, but there are no reports as to whether his throws are at an NFL-calibre level.
Meanwhile, his family has booked 30 rooms at the Midway Motor Lodge near Lambeau Field so they can be in Green Bay when the Vikings and Packers meet on Nov. 1. If the family is getting excited about the quarterback’s return, one suspects the Vikings are, too.
And based on everything that’s happened over the past three days, it’s clear that if Brett Favre is healthy, fans will be able to buy their purple No. 4 jerseys before the season opener on Sept. 13.