Rex on Favre
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- January
- 22
The first question posed to Rex Ryan was about the status of Brett Favre. (OK, I was the one who asked, but it really is his most pressing issue as coach.) His response—who wouldn’t want Favre?—was his least candid answer of the day.
For one, Green Bay didn’t want Favre. After the last five games of the season, there were plenty of Jets fans who didn’t want him either. The ground on that seems to be shifting, and with Ryan as coach, Favre might have a better shot than under Eric Mangini.
Ryan said he hadn’t yet spoken to Favre. Perhaps he wants the dust to settle a little before they talk, but Ryan seems like the kind of coach who would be compatible with the Mississippi quarterback (pictured here on the White Rivers Whitetails website, those deer are mighty docile!).
One snag could be the offseason training program. Favre didn’t hit Green Bay until training camp, and worked out with a personal trainer at home instead. This year, those meetings will be all the more important since all the players will be learning Ryan’s system.
Favre is skipping the Pro Bowl due to the injured arm. You can try to read the tea leaves on that. Either he is protecting the injury in hopes of playing again or he is so done with football that he isn’t up for the party.
General manager Mike Tannenbaum seems to want to keep Favre hunting for a little while, to keep him from being a distraction. But the Jets need to have the Favre issue settled. If he doesn’t come back, the Jets will immediately need to secure a quarterback either in house or through free agency. That position is crucial to Ryan’s success as a first-year coach.
Here is our story in The Journal News on Ryan’s brash opening press conference yesterday. He gave the kind of quotes the New York media loves while you’re winning. Ryan knows those words could come back to haunt him if they lose. That’s OK, Ryan said, he likes high expectations.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 at 8:28 am by Jane McManus.
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Jane McManus 
Jane…For the record, can you tell me who the last successful 40 year old QB was!!
This is not the first time Favre has declined to participate in the Pro Bowl. I wouldn’t read too much into that.
I agree with AS. Favre has skipped many of the previous Pro Bowls.
It’s hard to say how things would go with Favre. Rex could want a veteran QB to help lead the team for one season to help get things off the ground. Also, I think that Favre’s lack of offseason training last season hurt him the last few games (along with his injured shoulder). I think, in part, he just wasn’t adequately prepared to play at a high level for the whole season. Still, I think his time in the NFL is over.
I believe if Brett has the off season to get into game shape like in 2007 and they handle the play calling right (ex Tenn with Collins) so it’s not all on his shoulders and keep preaching that to him….look for a better performance and I would believe his last. Need him for one year to have more time to get another qb as what they have in Clemmons and Ratliff won’t fly in the NFL. Besides they can restucture his contract for less money with a signing bonus. He has in the past restructured his contract and even moved money to future years to sign guys to the team….look for it again.
Gwinn1952,
You’re too quick to dismiss Clemens and Ratliff. After the press conference, all three SNY analysts agreed that Clemens has what it takes to be the Jets’ QB of the future, and they seemed surprisingly (even to me) sure of themselves. As I’ve posted before, if not for McCareins’s dropped passes Clemens would have been 4-4 with that awful 2007 team. Now he’ll have a decent O line. Why dump him on the scrap heap before he’s had a real chance to show what he can do?
Warner came from the Arena Football League, for crying out loud! Good QBs don’t HAVE to be first-round draft picks. Oh yeah, and who’s that untested guy the Patriots are going to franchise? What’s that? A sixth rounder?! Clemens is a second rounder.
Doesn’t anyone practice patience and development any more? Jets’ fans ought to be particularly good at it!
Jane- please get your facts straight. Brett always participated in OTA’s and training camp with the exception of 2005 when his wife was diagnosed with cancer. the coach at the time told him to stay home and take care of his wife and show up for training camp. Those are the only ota’s he’s missed. With a full off season to fully learn the offense and get into shape, Brett will come back better than ever. Most of his problem the last 5 games was due to injury and due to the ineptitude of the play calling and game planning. If indeed Mangini was the problem, the play calling should be much better. Hopefully the new coaching staff knows how to make ingame adjustments.
I agree with Alex, that Clemens and Ratliff might surprise if given a chance. I though Ratliff showed really good instincts during the preseason and Clemens has an arm. They need three QB’s on the roster, either way, but I’m not inclined to totally dismiss what they have in the wings.
The young qb’s deserve a chance. Let’s see what they’ve got.
Jane I think you are making a big issue out of Favre for nothing.If Brett decides to return he will be the starting QB for the Jets.If he decides to retire the Jets are in trouble.If any fan thinks the way to coach Favre is to control him you are wrong,let him play his game with 17 out of 18 seasons he’s been a winner.You do not control one of the greatest players in history.Let him play the only way he knows how to play with passion. Go Jets Go
The Jets, with better coaching, will not be in any “trouble” with or without Favre. All I have to do is to point to the Patriots and Cassell. Brady=Favre and Cassell=Clemens or Ratliff. With good coaching, there won’t be a problem.
Whether Favre returns or not will be irrelevant, as long as the team is coached well. Ann is absolutely right about in-game adjustments, something that David has complained about loudly and rightly for many months now.