Favre’s comments old news

GREEN BAY, Wis. – If Brett Favre had to decide on his future today, he says he’d likely retire.

But his interview aired Sunday on ESPN didn’t set off any alarm bells for new Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

“Well, he doesn’t have to make a decision today,” McCarthy said Monday.

He said Favre’s comments, the quarterback’s first since the end of his only losing season with the Packers, are a natural reaction for a veteran player coming off a frustrating year.

He said the comments weren’t drastically different from what McCarthy heard when they met at Favre’s home in Mississippi this past weekend.

Favre told ESPN he hasn’t reached a decision on retirement, but added, “If I had to pick right now and make a decision, I would say I’m not coming back.”

Favre still thinks he can play, but isn’t sure he wants to.

“The Monday mornings now, they add up,” McCarthy said. “I went through it myself. Definitely. That’s why I think he needs to get away. I think he needs to go out in the woods with his chain saw and cut trees down and keep doing what he’s doing. He needs to answer that question, because if it’s not in here (his heart) then it’s not going to be right for him and it’s not going to be right for everybody.”

The 36-year-old Favre threw a career-high 29 interceptions this season, and the Packers finished 4-12 – their first losing season since he joined the team in 1992.

Favre’s retirement speculation is becoming an annual rite of winter in Wisconsin. He has spoken of retirement in years past.

Favre apparently would like to wait until the start of training camp to decide this time around, but realizes that would not be fair to the team.

McCarthy said he isn’t pressuring Favre to make his decision by a particular deadline, but he expects to know before the team’s first minicamp, which has not been scheduled.