Jan. 20, 2008 - The Packers lose in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. Both Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy speak briefly to Favre before he returns home to Hattiesburg, Miss.No deadline is indicated on when Favre needs to make a decision on whether to return 4 the 2008 season.
* Jan. 30 - McCarthy and Favre are both at the Super Bowl media center in Phoenix to collect post-season awards and spent about an hour chatting. The two talk again when McCarthy is at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu and later when McCarthy returns home. Again, no deadline is provided on when Favre needs to make a decision on whether to return 4 the 2008 season, but Favre starts feeling pressured during these conversations to make a decision in the near future despite his deliberative nature.
* Feb. 22 - Sometime during the scouting combine Thompson calls Favre 4 the first time since the end of the season because he had heard reports that the quarterback was mad he hadn't called him, but not 4 the reason that he wants to strongly encourage Favre to return 4 the 2008 season. "I called him and he said, 'Well I don't know where you're getting that from, because that's not true.'" Thompson said he reassured Favre he was wanted back and told him McCarthy would be the one communicating with him most often but didn't indicate that he wouldn't be communicating with Favre in any manner whatsoever about his decision whether or not to return. A deadline 4 making a decision is not provided, but Favre is strongly encouraged to make his decision by the end of February . . . merely one week later. Favre is suspicious of the very existence of a deadline, as Thompson is aware that Favre is very deliberative in making such an important decision that affects his entire family and the Packer organization. Favre is suspicious that the deadline is being imposed as an ulterior motive 4 encouraging retirement.
* Feb. 25 - McCarthy calls Favre on trip back from combine and discusses how he might be able to lesson the quarterback's load and whether Favre can commit 100%, with it becoming more and more apparent that the Packers needed a decision sooner rather than later, despite not having provided a formal deadline in previous discussions. Again, Favre believes that Thompson and McCarthy remember that Favre has not been able to commit 100% at such an early date in previous years, fueling his speculation that the imposition of the deadline (despite Thompson's assurances to the media and public that no such deadline exists) is a method 4 encouraging his retirement.
* Feb. 29 - Favre calls McCarthy and tells him if he had to make a decision now, he would retire, after being pressed 4 a decision by the end of February. McCarthy tells him to think about it over the weekend and both Thompson and McCarthy, despite Favre explicitly telling McCarthy that being forced to make a decision now will lead to retirement, think Favre will play. "Mike talked to him about, 'Well, what if we change (reduce) some reps or off-season things' and things like that and he was pretty sure that he wanted to retire." Favre reiterates that if a decision needs to be made by the end of February, he will retire. Nothing is said by McCarthy that indicates that Favre has time beyond March 1st to make his decision. Packers President, Mark Murphy, at a public speaking function, indicates that Favre will announce his decision to return by the end of February.. Such announcement lends further credence to Favre's belief that the organization is pushing 4 an early decision because they know what that decision must be.
* March 3 - Favre calls McCarthy at a function in Austin, Texas, and tells him he's retiring, consistent with the conversation held on February 29th. McCarthy asked if he needed more time and he said no, as Favre believes that - absent any communication from Ted Thompson since February 22nd - the Packers need an immediate decision.. Favre tells him he can't commit 100% at this time. McCarthy flies back to Green Bay.
* March 4 - Thompson, McCarthy and public relations director Jeff Blumb are in Thompson's office and Blumb reaches Favre on his cell phone. "Jeff spoke 4 a few minutes and then I talked to Brett 4 I don't know, 20 minutes, 15 minutes, something like that. We got to the point where he wanted to go ahead and make the announcement here and then I think Jeff got back on the phone and then they worked it out that he would come up here and do the press conference." Favre reiterates during the conversation that, since the decision has to be made now, he is not ready at this time to commit to playing in 2008. Favre's reluctance to commit 100% at the beginning of March is consistent with prior years in which Favre simply needed more time to recover from the stress of the prior season. Favre is not encouraged by Ted Thompson to take more time before making a rash decision.
* March 6 - Favre conducts retirement press conference, convinced by the acquiescence of Ted Thompson to the pending announcement that Ted Thompson and the organization are looking to move on without him.
* Week of March 24 - Offensive line coach James Campen, who is visiting Louisiana, stops in to see Favre at his Mississippi home and is asked by Favre whether he thinks the Packers would take him back. Favre confides in Campen that, not unexpectedly, he might be interested in playing in 2008 given more time to make his decision.Thompson does not communicate directly with Favre, consistent with earlier modes of communication. Thompson's lack of communication is construed by Favre to be a lukewarm response, at best, to Favre's possible reconsideration. Campen reports the conversation to McCarthy and Thompson. McCarthy calls Favre and hears the same things Campen did.
THIS IS THE PLANE GOING TO GET HIM THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO THINK NEVER HAPPENED
* March 27 - Thompson and McCarthy decide they would be fine with but don't seem at all excited about Favre returning even though Aaron Rodgers is set to begin off-season workouts as the starter, and they inform Favre. "Mike said, 'Ted and I talked and we said, fine.' But we'd like to come see you, and Brett was kind of excited [in their opinion]that we were coming to see him." Favre once again gets the impression that his return would be more of a distraction than a blessing, given the lukewarm response of Ted Thompson, and is once again given the impression that there is a hard and fast deadline 4 making a 100% commitment; namely, the tentatively scheduled meeting. In preparation to leave 4 the owners meetings in West Palm Beach, March 30-April 3, they arrange to meet with Favre and wife, Deanna.
* March 29 - McCarthy makes plans to fly to Hattiesburg on April 1 to make plans 4 Favre's return. McCarthy is leaving 4 evening Mass when Favre calls to inform him he has changed his mind, as Favre still is 100% unable to fully commit to a return, which is apparently what the Packers are expecting at the scheduled meeting. "We were all set 4 them, but Brett called back and that he and Deanna had a long talk about it and they were going to stick with their original decision." Nothing is communicated to Favre indicating that Favre should take a week or two to formulate a final decision, and his decision to remain retired is not questioned by Thompson. The NFL draft is still weeks away.
* May 6 - Thompson is down South and decides to pay a visit to Favre at his home, ironically after Favre has retired. Favre believes that the only reason Thompson would go out of his way to visit Favre is to finally encourage Favre's return 4 the 2008 season. Favre is encouraged before the visit that Thompson might finally be providing him some latitude on the timing of his decision, and Favre is ready to return upon simply being asked to do so by Thompson. "I called him and said I am thinking about seeing you, I don't have any agenda or anything. So I did, I went and visited. Had lunch sat out on the veranda. We had a long talk and good talk. Nothing really came up other than like with any retired player, you could tell there were a few things that he would throw in there; 'there might be some doubts, I may change my mind,' or something like that. And that was that." Amazingly, Thompson doesn't bring up the subject. Favre is stunned that Thompson went out of his way to visit Favre without encouraging Favre to return to the Packers, as there would be no other reason 4 such a visit so soon after the discussions in late March. Favre's belief that the Packers have moved on without him, and were lukewarm to his return ever since the end of the season, is once again validated.
* June 8 - Campen goes to Favre's home and has a long talk with Favre and leaves feeling Favre wants to return as Favre feels the need to communicate this decision to the Packers. Thompson does not communicate with Favre, despite being informed by Campen of the conversation.
* June 20 -- Favre calls McCarthy and the two have a 45-minute conversation in which Favre tells him he might want to play again... as Favre feels the need to communicate his feeling directly to the head coach, who he believes may still be supportive of Favre's return notwithstanding Thompson's obvious opposition to such return. "There was more wondering, you know, what ifs." Thompson does not communicate with Favre, despite being informed by McCarthy of the conversation. McCarthy and Thompson go on vacation 4 the July 4th weekend. Favre becomes increasingly frustrated as Thompson once again does not respond to his inquiries, further validating his belief that Thompson is opposed to his return.
* July 4 - Thompson receives a text message from Favre the morning of Saturday, July 5th, desperate to communicate his desire to return and Thompson sends a message back hours later at about 8 p.m. back telling him he's traveling and can they talk on Monday? " Not surprisingly, Favre believes that Thompson is opposed to his return. By Monday I hadn't heard back from him, as Thompson did not take the initiative to call Favre per Favre's request two days earlier. I sent him back a text saying, 'Haven't heard from ya, hope you're getting these messages, can we talk Tuesday at noon?' He got back to me and said 'OK,' that it would be better sooner, but I was kind of doing some other things so we set up a conference call." Thompson's continued lack of urgency, despite obviously knowing what Favre wanted to discuss, convinces Favre that Thompson is steadfastly opposed to Favre's return in 2008.
* July 8 - Favre and his agent, James (Bus) Cook ask Thompson 4 Favre's release during the conference call in which Favre's continuing impressions that the Packers no longer want him are directly validated. It's understood Favre won't be the starter in Green Bay. "There were, I think, conversations with Mike where both parties acknowledged that time had gone by and the Packers had been asked to move on, or move forward, or whatever. That's what they were thinking there (about asking 4 his release)." Thompson's true feelings, that the Packers would be better off without Favre as quarterback, are unequivocally communicated 4 the first time, confirming suspicions that Favre had 4 many months.
* July 11 - Thompson receives a letter from Favre and Cook formally asking 4 Favre to be released.
Favre is convinced by now that Thompson no longer wants him to be a member of the 2008 Green Bay Packers, and Favre believes that a release is in the best interests of both Favre and the Packers. Favre does not want the continued media frenzy surrounding the situation to affect the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. Favre does, however, want to play in the 2008 NFL season as he repeatedly tried to convey to the Packers. Favre believes that the Packers will be willing to release him given Favre's contributions to the organization 4 the past seventeen years.
