Advertisement The move was surprising because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been the presumptive destination for Favre, with ex-Packers assistant Jon Gruden as the head coach, a familiar West Coast offense and relatively close proximity to Favre's home.
Plus, the Packers play the Buccaneers on Sept. 28 in Tampa, Fla. But the Jets' offer simply was better, an NFL source said.
Although the Packers released a statement confirming the deal, they did not release the terms.
According to the NFL Network, the Packers received a fourth-round pick that would escalate to a third-round pick if Favre plays 50 percent of the Jets' offensive snaps this year; a second-round pick if he plays 70 percent of the Jets' snaps and the team makes the playoffs; and a first-round pick if Favre plays in 80 percent of the snaps and the Jets reach the Super Bowl.
The deal also accomplished the Packers' most important objective: Trading Favre to an AFC East team not only sent him outside their own division, but outside their own conference to a team they don't face this season.
But based on the NFL's rotating schedule format, the Packers don't play at the Jets until 2010 and won't play host to the Jets until 2014.
An NFL source also said the trade includes provisions that would prevent the Jets from re-trading Favre to the Minnesota Vikings, who have coveted Favre since he first began contemplating a comeback.
Although Favre remained on the Packers' 80-man roster Wednesday, all signs throughout the day pointed to a deal getting done, as general manager Ted Thompson wasn't at either of the day's two practices, and neither was director of football operations John Schneider, the point man on trade talks.
Thompson's 11:30 a.m. weekly press availability inside the media auditorium was also postponed. Favre left his house in Ashwaubenon with wife Deanna and agent James "Bus" Cook and boarded a private jet shortly after noon.
The jet went wheels-up at Austin Straubel airport at 12:25 p.m. and landed at 2:30 p.m. Cook told the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger two hours before takeoff that a deal could be done within "the next hour or so," but it didn't happen.
According to several reports, Favre had spoken to several Jets officials, including coach Eric Mangini, on Tuesday, but there was also a school of thought that the Jets were being used to increase the Buccaneers' offer.
Greeted by a small group of reporters at an airport in Hattiesburg upon his return, Favre said he was "tired" and clearly wanted the situation to be resolved as soon as possible.
"Obviously it's in everyone's best interest to do it quickly (rather) than later. We're working on it," Favre said. "Hopefully we can get something resolved. I've been saying that for awhile now. We're, I don't want to say running out of time, but I need to get into a camp somewhere, get used to the guys as well as the system."
Down to two
Favre confirmed that he had "talked to Tampa and the Jets. I don't think anything has changed. We're at least considering those guys. We'll see what happens." Favre called the whole ordeal "very taxing on me, my family and everyone involved on both sides."
After his four-hour Monday night conversation with coach Mike McCarthy and a two-hour chat with McCarthy Tuesday morning, Favre and McCarthy spoke again Tuesday night, although neither would say how long that final conversation lasted or what it was about.
Favre did shed some light on his side of the Monday night talk he had with McCarthy, who on Tuesday said Favre "wasn't in the right mind-set to play" in Green Bay anymore.
"I was asked the question if I was totally committed to the Packers, and I know that's been documented, and I posed the same question back to them. And I don't think either side could totally commit (to each other) after all that's happened," Favre said. "The bottom line in all of this is playing football. I've always been committed to my job. I know people say I should put the personal issues aside, and I agree, but I couldn't do that.
"On their part, they obviously had taken the stance at some point during this offseason that they were going to move on, and that's OK. They sort of changed that stance when I got back up there. We sort of figured that would happen. Otherwise they would have released me, but they didn't want to do that, which I understand."
Favre also admitted his trip to Green Bay, which began when he arrived Sunday night at the airport after being reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell, accomplished little.
"I knew going up there it was more formality than anything, something I had to do. I didn't think I'd be up there too long, and I wasn't," said Favre, who came to the intrasquad scrimmage at Lambeau Field a short time after he landed in Green Bay but reportedly wasn't allowed on the field or in the locker room at the event. "I had kind of been locked in my house (in Green Bay) the last couple of days. The fans in Green Bay were awesome, at least on my side. I think that the most important thing was to get that resolved up there. ... It's obviously a mess right now, but it can be cleaned up. They've got really good players, good coaching, but it's time they moved on, one way or another.
"As much history as I have in Green Bay and success, I really didn't see the positives that could come out it. It was always going to be a distraction. It was best that they had a clear-cut path they were going to go on. If I'm going to play, I'll try to play elsewhere and see what happens."
Meanwhile, in an interview with the Sporting News Wednesday, Cook was asked by NFL writer Clifton Brown if he could foresee a scenario in which Favre did not play this season.
Cook replied, "No, I don't see that happening. He wants to play." Cook confessed that Favre's first choice was Minnesota "but (the Packers) were adamant that that was not something they would agree to."
Cook also said he saw the Buccaneers and the Jets as the only two realistic teams for Favre.
"He could have stayed (in Green Bay), he could have forced the issue, he could have been a bad teammate. But that's not Brett," Cook said. "They asked if he was committed to playing for them, but they are in no way committed to him. At no time during this whole situation have they ever told Brett that they want him back. At this point, it's time to go separate ways."
Asked how the rift between the Packers and Favre would impact the quarterback's legacy, Cook replied, "I just hope people understand how we got to this point. Yes, Brett changed his mind. What's wrong with that? How many people, in how many professions, change their mind? The Packers were pressuring him for an answer back in March. It's not a coincidence that he made his announcement at that time. They wanted an answer. He gave them one. Then after he changed his mind, they no longer wanted him back. That's how we got to this point."
While the trade hadn't been finalized at the time, McCarthy seemed relieved after practice Wednesday that he could focus on football instead of Favre saga.
"The players want resolution. They want what everybody wants," McCarthy said. "To come out here every day and talk about somebody that is not here and then shows up, it's gone on too long, and understandably so. They want to play football. They want to be recognized for playing football and focus on that.
"This job is hard enough. I think sometimes it goes unnoticed — the stress, the anxiety an NFL player goes through training camp. This is a very difficult time for every member of the 80-man roster, and that's what they need to focus on."
And now, they can do exactly that.
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