Brett Favre doesn't want to compare himself to Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath, and rightfully so. Both switched teams at the end of their careers and were failures before hanging up their cleats.
Instead, Favre wants to look at Joe Montana, who left the 49ers for a solid stint with the Chiefs before he retired. Favre hopes the same thing happens for him after leaving Green Bay for the Jets.
"I thought he had a pretty successful run there," Favre said in a conference call Wednesday. "I know I still can play. The odds are against me if you want to say that, but I'm up for the challenge. You know what, five years from now, 10 years from now, who really cares one way or the other? What matters is right now."
That's what Fantasy owners are concerned about, right now. And we're not just talking about the season opener at Miami.
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Rookie Dustin Keller could develop into one of Brett Favre's favorite targets.
(US Presswire)
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Favre was drafted as a No. 1 option based on his performance last year and his outlook with the Jets, who have talented receivers in
Jerricho Cotchery,
Laveranues Coles and
Dustin Keller. The expectation is Favre should succeed, but it's unknown how it will play out.
Favre spent 16 seasons in Green Bay, so he has to get used to a new team, new surroundings and, more importantly, a new playbook and new teammates. He admits there is an adjustment, especially since he's only been in New York for about a month.
"I feel comfortable with what we have in," Favre said. "Obviously our team feels comfortable with the plays that I've run. Will they all be perfect? I'd love to sit here and tell you yes, but I'd love to tell you that happened throughout my career, even with the plays that I've run hundreds of times. That's never the case, and that's the beauty of football."
Added Jets coach Eric Mangini: "Even though he's been in the same system, he's been with different head coaches, with different coordinators. A lot of football is terminology as opposed to just pure concepts. Over the course of his career, I would imagine he's run through every concept imaginable. Now it's just a process of translating some of that stuff, associating those concepts with things that we do. He's worked at it, we've worked at it. There's give and take on both sides to get to the best way for us to function offensively."
Favre also has yet to develop a rapport with his new receivers. You can see it coming with Cotchery and Keller, but Coles was out all preseason with a thigh injury that continues to linger.
Coles also is upset that the Jets got rid of Chad Pennington, but he has to realize Favre will make him better. Favre also knows he can't be successful unless Coles gives 100 percent.
Last year, Favre returned to prominence with the emergence of Greg Jennings, Donald Lee and James Jones and the continued success of Donald Driver. The talent is similar with the Jets.
"It's a work in progress," Favre said of his comfort level with the receivers. "I do feel comfortable with them. I like the working environment that we have. We've talked probably and gotten things accomplished more in the meeting rooms and just talking period than we probably have physically going out and doing something on the field. We have gotten work together, not as much with Laveranues because he's been injured, but it's a work in progress. Once again, you don't practice all of these plays and you definitely don't practice them with certain guys. You don't just want to kill guys and you just don't have the time, but I do like the environment that we've set forth here."
Favre expects the relationship to develop and thrive as the season goes on. That will help Fantasy owners who reached on Cotchery and Coles a round or two earlier than expected once Favre came on board.
Mangini expects Favre to make the receivers better.
"Brett can do some unique things," Mangini said. "As they get more and more comfortable with each other, and as the season progresses, I think even more of that element of Brett's game will come out."
Mangini also is fond of his new tight end.
"He's progressed nicely throughout the preseason," Mangini said. "It's tough for these rookies because new plays, new coaching staff, new system, going from big man on campus to nobody really caring what you did in college. There is an adjustment period. I think Dustin's done a good job at working through that adjustment and getting a little bit better each week."
It will help that Favre is excited and ready for this new challenge. Fantasy owners can expect Favre to play well even though he might not play at his previous level with the Packers.
After all, he'll be 39 this year and dealing with an adjustment period. But you have to like his approach and his motivation to succeed.
He's ready to prove he can still play, and Fantasy owners hope they can count on him for at least one more year.
"There's no guarantees what will happen for me and for this team, but I do like the team we have in place," Favre said. "I'm excited about the opportunity. I do feel like a Jet. The uniform feels right on me, and when we line up to play Sunday it will be exciting for a lot of reasons."
