Shortly after witnessing Brett Favre's surprise retirement announcement on March 6, 2008, in the Lambeau Field Atrium, I had a conversation with a longtime NFL executive.
At the time, there were rumors about Favre butting heads with Packers management — namely, Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy — that basically forced Favre into retirement. But all we were left with was Favre's tear-lined face and his words from the dais, which seemed heartfelt and genuine.
"I've given everything I possibly can give to this organization, to the game of football, and I don't think I've got anything left to give, and that's it," Favre said. "I know I can play, but I don't think I want to. And that's really what it comes down to."
Even with follow-up questions, Favre convincingly stuck to his line that it was just time to move on.
But knowing some of the chatter behind the scenes — mostly about Thompson (similar to Bill Belichick in his lack of sentimentality when it comes to his roster management) and Favre — and, most importantly, the unshakeable iciness between Deanna Favre, Thompson and McCarthy — they were all seated right next to each other off to the side of Favre, but they could have been miles away — there had to be more to it than Favre just being done with football.
That uncomfortable tension is what I was discussing with the NFL executive.
"There's one thing you need to remember with these guys," he said in referencing the NFL's great QBs. "It always ends badly, and they blame everyone else for it."
And he was right.
Soon enough, things got messy off the field between the Packers. Friends of Favre were sniping at Thompson, McCarthy and team president Mark Murphy behind the scenes. They didn't do this for Brett. They didn't tell him this. It's their fault he's not a fault Packer anymore. He didn't want any of this.
Sound familiar?
As we've come to learn in recent weeks, Tom Brady isn't an exception to this. He's not special or different. He's just like every other great, future Hall of Fame quarterback who wound up finishing his career in another uniform. We've now reached the stage of the fallout of his departure to Tampa where people are starting to air Brady's grievances.
Of course, all this chatter behind the scenes is missing one thing ... any blame on Brady's behalf. (Hmm, I wonder why that is.)
We'll get into a little history lesson, and then show what's really at the heart of all this, and Brady's part in it.
The same thing happened with Dan Marino. His final three seasons in the NFL were marred by constant tension with Jimmy Johnson, who wanted to take the offense away from the trigger-happy Marino. It did not end well, with a 62-7 loss to the Jaguars in the playoffs.
In Marino's heart, he knows that he needs Johnson. In Johnson's heart, he knows he needs Marino. Johnson isn't getting ready to trade Marino, cut Marino or ask him to retire.
But their combination is tenuous, built on a foundation of Marino's fragile legs and piled high with huge expectations by all involved, including fans.
Marino could have added trust to the foundation. He could have said he not only understands what Johnson is doing, he agrees with it completely. He could have said he knows he's not going to play forever and that Johnson has to keep an eye on the future.
He didn't. Instead, Marino smiled slyly and took momentary glee in watching Johnson stew. Marino was being human, doing what prideful people often do when they are hurt or uneasy.
"I knew I was leaving part way through last season," Montana said. "My mind was made up.
"I could see they were trying to make the change. . . . Otherwise they would have given me a shot right from the beginning, that we could compete."
Then there was Favre, whose final years were similar to Brady's.
Thompson was hired in 2005 when it became apparent Mike Sherman couldn't be the coach and GM. Thompson promptly came in and released Favre-favored linemen Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle, and safety Darren Sharper. Thompson drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round before going 4-12. In '06, Thompson fired Sherman, a Favre enabler, and replaced him with McCarthy with the edict of taking the offense back from Favre. In '07, Thompson failed to trade for Randy Moss — which Favre pushed for behind the scenes — and drafted a bust at defensive tackle 16th overall.
"I just want to win; maybe I see things the wrong way," Favre said at the time. "I don't want to ruffle any feathers and I want people to respect me. Sometimes I think it's hard for them to let Brett go. They might think that we pay him a lot of money, but he still gives us the best chance to win. I've never been told that, but there are times when I wonder if I'm the odd man out here and they just don't know how to tell me."
Favre had a tremendous '07 season as the Packers reached the NFC Championship Game. And then he retired.
2017:
2018
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