Brett Favre Asks to Be Traded

Packer Fans' Worst Nightmares Have Become Reality

Since ESPN's Chris Mortenson broke the news that Packers QB and legend Brett Favre wished to return to the NFL, a heated and often vicious debate has raged across the Internet and between Packers fans. The dispute was whether the legendary Favre, who announced his retirement from the NFL in March, should be the one to start as the Packers' first-string quarterback, or whether the job should fall to top backup Aaron Rodgers, groomed for three years for especially this purpose.

Now, Packer fans' worst-case scenarios have suddenly become flesh and blood. On Friday the 11th, Favre asked Packers general manager Ted Thompson, and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, to allow him to return to the team as the starting quarterback. Thompson and McCarthy refused, a decision that has yet to be commented upon by either, and that will certainly face a firestorm of criticism from the Cheesehead faithful. It was the right decision for all that; Favre formally retired in March, and according to sources close to McCarthy and Thomas (reported upon by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) from that moment on they began planning what the team was going to do and how they were going to move on, for no other reason that sheer practicality. So in a nearly impossible situation, Thompson made the toughest of tough calls and told the Packers icon "No, Brett, we have moved on and we do not want you to come back as our starter."

Unfortunately, Thompson's tough call has tough consequences, this being the worst of them for Packers fans. Favre has officially asked to return to the NFL, and will probably file his reinstatement papers within the next few days. The refusal also eliminates the polarizing but still practical opportunity of having Favre return as the second-string quarterback, to play behind his former backup and wait for the new starter to be injured. That would also be a bad scenario for the franchise, but at this point it's a no-win situation.