Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers will return as the team’s starting quarterback for the 2006 season. Favre was thinking about retiring, but has agreed to stay at least one more year. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Favre Decides:  He’s Staying 

Will he retire, or won’t he? That is the question that has been on the minds of Green Bay Packers fans and the team itself for months. 

The decision has finally been made, at least for the 2006 season.  Brett Favre will be the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback for one more season. What happens after 2006 is anyone’s guess.  Favre is not making commitments beyond this season.

According to a report in the April 26th Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Favre informed Packers General Manager Ted Thompson and Coach Mike McCarthy that he would return for the 2006 season. 

All he said to McCarthy during a phone call that cut into a draft meeting is “Mike, I’m in.”

Favre, 36, did not say whether this would be his last season.  He is in good health and he still likes winning. By returning this season, he will be able to add to his record of 221 consecutive regular season starts (241 if you count playoff games.)  No other quarterback in NFL history comes close to his record.

Family members say that Favre took 113 days to make his decision to return because he does not want a repeat of the 2005 season that ended 4-12. 

Coach McCarthy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the Packers always felt “Favre’s passion for the game would rule out.”

McCarthy added, “I always felt he was going to play.  A lot of days I had my doubts, but I always thought it would come to this conclusion…I think he finally got to a level of comfort where he could say he was coming back.”

Reporters thought Favre was ready to announce his decision at a press conference in Mississippi in early April. He said there was no change.

“I don’t know why you guys wasted a trip down here,” he told reporters.

Wants a winner

Favre has led the Packers to six division titles and a Super Bowl championship.

He said he wants to play for a winner. Favre said he is watching closely what the Packers are doing this offseason to try and get better. 

“I guess, ultimately, it comes down to just whether or not you want to play and run the risk of being 4-12 again,” Favre said recently.

It may be another tough year for Green Bay in 2006. The Packers have done little in the free agent market.

They still have time to sign players, and money to spend. However, there are not many free agents left to sign. Many big names have already signed contracts.

The Packers did sign cornerback Charles Woodson the day after Favre said he would return in 2006. Woodson played for the

Oakland Raiders last year.  He is a former college star at the University of Michigan.

The Packers said Woodson may also play offense.

It is not about the money

Favre stands to make $10 million, including a $3 million bonus that will be paid December 1 if he is on the roster as of July 27.

Journal Sentinel sports columnist Michael Hunt said, “I’m convinced that Favre isn’t doing it just for the money.  Anyone who knows the guy understands that he is doing this because he couldn’t imagine himself doing anything else while he remains physically capable of playing the game.”

Favre has never missed a start since September 20, 1992, when he filled in for injured quarterback Don Majkowski.  He brought the team to a 24-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals

Favre could break a few more records by playing another season:

He needs 25 touchdown passes to beat Dan Marino’s record of 420.

He needs 290 pass completions to beat Marino’s record of 4,967.

With nine victories, he will pass John Elway’s record of 148 as a starting quarterback.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel articles by Tom Silverstein and Michael Hunt