According to ESPN, Fox Sports and multiple other sources around teh sports media world, Brett Favre has been traded to the New York Jets.
Chris Jenkins of the AP writes:
The Green Bay Packers reached an agreement Wednesday night to trade their three-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback to the New York Jets, ending an emotionally grinding month of indecision over Favre’s future.
The move ends a remarkably ugly split between Green Bay and one of its most beloved players, allows the Packers to move forward with new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and gives Favre a fresh start—although not exactly the one he wanted, as Favre’s first choice was widely believed to be the Minnesota Vikings.
Terms of the trade weren’t immediately available.
“It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible,” Green Bay officials said in a statement.
Brett Favre's Dope Sheet on Yahoo! Sports.
Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson issued a statement early Thursday.
“I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform,” Johnson said. “He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible team on the field.”
Green Bay had been talking with the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers since deciding earlier this week that they could no longer coexist with Favre.
The Packers decided to move forward with Rodgers as their starter after Favre announced his retirement in March. Given their commitment to Rodgers, team officials weren’t particularly receptive when Favre decided just over a month ago that he might want to play after all—the latest development in several years’ worth of flip-flopping about his football future.
The agreement was first reported by Fox Sports on its Web site.
“We just felt like this was an opportunity to go get somebody of Brett’s stature and what he’s accomplished,” Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said during a conference call early Thursday morning. “We felt it was in the best interest of the team and when the opportunity presented itself, we felt it was the right move for us to make and we went ahead and did it.”
A number of fans made it clear throughout training camp that they wanted Favre on the Jets with signs and “Get Brett!” chants. Favre’s new No. 4 Jets jersey already was for sale on the team’s Web site about an hour after the trade was announced.
The 38-year-old Favre holds most major NFL passing records and led the Packers to the NFC Championship last season, where they lost to the New York Giants. Favre threw what would prove to be the decisive interception in overtime.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday that after approximately six hours of what he called “brutally honest” conversations over two days, the coach had determined that Favre doesn’t have the right mind-set to play for the Packers.
McCarthy said Favre couldn’t seem to get past emotional wounds that were opened as tensions mounted in recent weeks—even with the chance to win his starting job back potentially on the table.
“The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “He needs to jump on the train and let’s go. Or, if we can’t get past things that have happened, I have to keep the train moving.”
McCarthy said Wednesday he was happy the rest of his players were getting a chance to move forward.
“We talked about it last night,” McCarthy said. “The players want resolution, they want what everybody wants. 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.”
AP Sports Writers Dennis Waszak Jr. in New York and Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.
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