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Packers: McCarthy expects Favre to buy into his approach
JASON WILDE 608-252-6176
jwilde@madison.com
GREEN BAY - Brett Favre is expected to be back at work today - and for at least a handful of other practices during the next 21 days, too - and the Green Bay Packers star quarterback's offseason to-do list remains a lengthy one.
After taking four months to decide whether or not he wanted to come back for another year, Favre has to get his arm back into throwing shape, improve his fitness level and continue to learn new coach Mike McCarthy's strain of the West Coast offense.
But one thing Favre might need to do during the Packers' organized team activity workouts - which begin today with the first of 14 practices, the remainder of which are sprinkled throughout June - is adjust his attitude.
On May 6 - Favre's first news conference since the 2005 season finale on New Year's Day and the last time he addressed reporters - Favre talked about a host of topics during the 30-minute Q&A session.
But of all the things Favre spoke about that day, his remarks about how he played last season and his statement he has no intention of changing his risk-taking ways - despite coming off his worst season as a pro (a career-high and NFL-worst 29 interceptions and a career-low 70.9 passer rating) - raised some eyebrows.
"I'm sure throwing 20 touchdowns and 29 interceptions, all the experts out there have their opinions and theories. But to be honest with you, I don't think I played any differently in my approach last year than any other year," Favre said that day.
"Being 4-12 was obviously new to me. As the season progressed, we were playing from behind, and it was different. There was a different guy in the huddle all the time. Maybe I should have made some different decisions at times, but we had to try to win the ballgame with whoever was in there. . . . When you're down and you're in that situation week-in and week-out, you have to take chances.
"But I'm not going to sit there and throw 3-yard checkdowns and let the clock run down. I'm going to take chances, and there are going to be people who agree with that and people who don't agree with that. And I really don't care.
"I've played for 15 years a certain way: aggressively. I don't regret the way I play or the way I approach it, and I don't think I should change.
"My will to win is probably why I'm still standing here. My desire and commitment is why I'm here. Not footwork. Not mechanics. Not arm strength or decision making. It's my desire to win. I want to win more than anyone else, and am willing to do whatever it takes. For me to change now, it would be time for me to leave."
Comments like those, combined with suspicions Favre tuned out the previous coaching staff, lead to one question: Will Favre be open to what McCarthy, offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements have to say this season?
Reminded on Tuesday of Favre's comments, McCarthy said he took Favre's remarks as being about his philosophy of how to play the game, not as defiance toward being told what to do.
"I wasn't at the (news conference), so without having been sitting there, my response is that he's always played the game the same way. He's always pushed the envelope on the side of being aggressive. And that's how I took the quotes when I saw them," McCarthy said.
"To sit there and say (that Favre) said, 'I threw 29 interceptions and I don't care, I'm not going to change,' I don't think that was his intent at all. He and I view offensive football the same way: To push the envelope and also have the discipline to know when to pull back.
"There is a school of thought to play not to lose and play the high percentage all the time. Some people believe in that. I just took (Favre's comments) as a philosophical view on his style of play at the quarterback position. But I wasn't at the interview."
During ESPN's draft coverage, ex-NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski, a well-respected analyst, said he believed either Favre wasn't receiving any coaching last season or was ignoring what coach Mike Sherman, offensive coordinator Tom Rossley and quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell were telling him.
All three of those coaches are gone now, and out of respect for them, McCarthy said Tuesday he wasn't going to discuss what went on last season. But McCarthy did make one promise.
"I have access to all the information what went on here last year. I think I have a very good understanding of how (Favre) played and why he played the way he did," McCarthy said. "I'll tell you this: He's going to be coached to play a certain way. I believe in being aggressive, but he will be coached to play within the structure of the offense. I can assure you of that."
McCarthy said "all indications are" Favre will be at this morning's practice on Clarke Hinkle Field but that Favre's participation in the rest of the OTA practices will depend on how the installations of the offense go and how Favre comes along in his conditioning. Favre's next scheduled news conference is tentatively set for June 8.
"We'll be smart. We'll talk more at length (as the OTAs progress) about his involvement, his pitch count and stuff like that," McCarthy said. "We're going to be smart with him."•
Extra points Cornerback Al Harris, who skipped the last minicamp to demonstrate his unhappiness with his contract, said Tuesday night he will not attend the OTAs. ... McCarthy said rookie wide receiver/kick returner Cory Rodgers, who was arrested last week on weapons charges after a bar fight in Fort Worth, Texas, will attend the OTAs. "I had a long visit with him (Tuesday)," McCarthy said. Rodgers, a fourth-round pick from TCU, faces misdemeanor charges of unlawfully carrying a firearm and unlawfully discharging a firearm.
McCarthy expects Favre to play by his rules, Al Harris a no-show
McCarthy expects Favre to play by his rules, Al Harris a no-show
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