Is there a second act for Brett Favre in the NFL?
The Hall of Fame quarterback on Thursday was asked about a potential path into coaching or personnel. He said he was surprised at how quickly the competitive spirit flooded his psyche again when he picked up the headset.
"When I coached high school football for two years, it really wasn't on my radar," Favre said on ESPN Wisconsin's Wilde & Tausch. "My dad did it for many, many, many years, [but] I thought, 'I just don't have anything left in the tank from a competitive side. What type of coach would I be?'
"I always thought I would be a good coach, but I didn't know if I had the effort in me. Well, I did. I'll tell you what, it was a joy. The competitive spirit came right back. It was obviously different than playing, and so I had a lot of fun."
Favre was asked specifically about a return to Green Bay, and while he sounded interested, he made it clear he did not want those comments blown up above the rest of his remarks.
"I would say, 'I'd never say never,'" Favre said. "I believe that would be a dream job, working as a coach there or in some form of administration," Favre said. "I don't know, and I don't want to create a stir because who knows? But I would say, 'Never say never.'
"People have talked about the broadcasting booth. I think I'd be pretty good at it, but you never know. I know Bart [Starr] went back [to Green Bay] and did it and it wasn't as successful as everyone would have assumed. I'm not going to think I would be any different, but it is an intriguing option. What better place to do it? Yeah, it's crossed my mind."
Favre had the opportunity to elaborate on his comments while appearing on The Rich Eisen Show on Friday. Although he emphatically said "no" when asked if he wanted to be an NFL coach or GM, he immediately left open the possibility.
"Would I someday? Who knows," Favre said. "I'm not going to rule anything out."
Favre is a fascinating case study in post-career employment. Unlike the Tony Romos of the world who elevated straight into broadcasting, Favre has taken some time to find himself. He's also not a natural fit as a coach. Having been more closely aligned with the freewheeling, seat-of-the-pants NFL quarterbacks than the over-prepared Peyton Mannings' of the world, it would be interesting to see if his reputation precedes him. Favre famously told a story about not knowing what a Nickel defense was until his third year as a starter in Green Bay -- and not caring much once he found out.
Perhaps surviving in that fashion makes him more inclined to act the other way as a coach. It certainly worked out well for him as an offensive coordinator at Oak Grove High School.
