Aug 7, 2008 - 8:43 PM
0 shoutsCLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Brett Favre flashed a familiar smile and held up an unfamiliar jersey.
Just hours after being traded from the Green Bay Packers, the star quarterback proudly displayed his New York Jets jersey to a small media contingent.
"The last 24 hours have been crazy," Favre said during a news conference prior to the Jets' preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
Indeed they have.
The Packers agreed to trade Favre to the Jets in a deal that was completed late Wednesday night.
The somewhat surprising turn of events concluded the ongoing saga between Favre, the three-time NFL MVP who retired this past March only to change his mind, and the Packers, who finally have rid themselves of the overwhelming distraction created by the attention-craving quarterback.
"I'm here for one reason. Not to do commercials, Broadway, all those things," said Favre, who showed his allegiance by talking with players and coaches on the sideline during Thursday's preseason game. "I'm here to help the Jets win."
New York went 4-12 last season and has not won a Super Bowl in four decades.
"I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform," Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson said in a statement. "He represents a significant addition to this franchise and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible product on the field."
Terms of the trade have not been disclosed, but NFL.com reported that Green Bay dealt Favre for a conditional draft pick - which will be based on the Jets' performance in 2008.
The NFL's web site reported that New York initially would part with a fourth-round pick, which potentially could become a higher selection if Favre plays and if the Jets succeed.
According to the report, the pick would become a third-round selection if Favre participates in 50 percent of the plays this season. If Favre is on the field for 70 percent of the plays and the Jets qualify for the playoffs, the pick would become a second-round selection, and if he plays 80 percent of the time and New York reaches the Super Bowl, the Packers would receive a first-round draft choice.
NFL.com also reported that the Packers put a "poison pill" in the deal. If the Jets trade Favre to the Minnesota Vikings, they would have to give Green Bay three first-round picks.
But the Jets do not seem to have any intention of parting with Favre, who immediately transforms New York into a postseason contender in a competitive AFC.
"We just felt like this was an opportunity for us to go get someone of Brett's stature and what he's accomplished," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "Woody, Eric (head coach Eric Mangini) and I felt that it was in the best interest of the team. When the opportunity presented itself, we felt it was the right move for us to make, and we went ahead and did it."
Tannenbaum said he had a brief conversation with Favre, who almost was drafted by the Jets in 1991.
The Jets were ready to pick Favre in the second round out of Southern Mississippi, but the Atlanta Falcons swooped in and grabbed him right before New York. Then-Jets GM Ron Wolf moved on to Green Bay, where he acquired Favre.
"I had a quick conversation with Brett," Tannenbaum said. "It was a good conversation. We're excited about it and we're glad he is on the team."
With the new acquisition, the Jets on Thursday released veteran quarterback Chad Pennington, allowing the team to free up space to fit Favre's $12 million salary under the cap.
The addition of Favre constitutes the final, and most pivotal, offseason move made by the Jets, who reached the playoffs in 2006 but floundered last season.
New York was extremely active in free agency, signing a pair of starting offensive linemen in Alan Faneca and Damien Woody and also bringing in pass-rushing linebacker Calvin Pace. The Jets also bolstered their defensive line by acquiring defensive tackle Kris Jenkins in a trade with Carolina.
The Jets also added a pair of impact rookies in defensive end Vernon Gholston and tight end Dustin Keller, both selected in the first round of this year's draft.
But the final piece of the puzzle clearly is Favre, who owns virtually every NFL passing record and will attempt to lead the Jets to their first Super Bowl title since the 1968 season.
"Mike Tannenbaum and his football administration staff did a great job of navigating this complex process," Johnson said. "I am excited about welcoming Brett, Deanna and their family to the Jets organization."
While the Jets have basked in the glow of acquiring a football icon, the Packers regretfully ended their 16-year relationship with Favre, who led Green Bay to a Super Bowl title following the 1996 season.
"Brett has had a long and storied career in Green Bay, and the Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for everything he accomplished on the field and for the impact he made in the state," the Packers said in a statement. "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."
"I think we're probably both at fault," Favre said. "I'm not going to blame one side or the other. A lot of things happened this season, a lot of shocking things. But at this point it's irrelevant."
It has been a busy week for the NFL's only three-time Most Valuable Player, who saw his storied career in Green Bay come to an abrupt end after a series of meetings with general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy.
Favre, who retired in a tearful press conference on March 4, is the NFL's all-time leader in touchdowns (442), completions (5,377), attempts (8,758), yards (61,555) and wins (160). He also has been a model of toughness, starting an NFL-record 275 consecutive games, including playoffs.
Favre arrived in Green Bay to a hero's welcome this past weekend and evidently intended to repair his fractured relationship with the Packers, who reluctantly placed the three-time All Pro on their active roster Monday after consistently balking at his requests to return to football.
But after two meetings with McCarthy, including a five-hour sit-down Monday night, Favre left Lambeau Field with his career as a Packer effectively over.
"We respect Brett's decision that he could no longer remain here as a Packer," the team said in the statement. "But there were certain things we were not willing to do because they were not in the best interest of the team. We were not going to release him nor trade him to a team within the division.
"When Brett ultimately decided that he still wanted to play football, but not in Green Bay, we told him that we would work to find the best solution for all parties involved. We wish Brett and his family well."
