Brett Favre's Bury the Hatchet Tour continued on Thursday when it took him to the airwaves of SiriusXM NFL Radio, where he was interviewed by Bruce Murray and Jim Miller.
As he did last week in a radio interview in Buffalo, Favre acknowledged his share of blame for his messy and bruising departure from Green Bay. But he was effusive in his praise for the Packers' as an organization and expressed gratitude that he was able to play most of his career in Green Bay.
"I left them in limbo, as we all know - kind of yeah, no - I just didn't want to make a decision until I got right up to training camp," Favre said. "And that's probably where I was at fault. I was also at fault for saying I was retiring."
Favre said he expects Aaron Rodgers, barring injury, to shatter all his records "except for maybe consecutive games."
Favre was asked why there is an assumption that his relationship with Rodgers was sour when they were teammates.
"I have no idea, honestly," Favre said. "I think Aaron, if he were on this phone right now would say the same thing. I spent a tremendous amount of time studying the game myself. In the latter part of my career I was a lot more vigilant from a mental aspect of it. I was trying maybe to make up for the lack of physical skills over time. I can remember, pretty much all the time, Aaron would say: 'Do you mind if I watch a little film with you?' This would be when people left, Wednesday or Thursday, 5:30 (p.m.) or something. I'd say, 'Sure.' His style of play, obviously, is a little bit different than mine. But I would try to offer him things that were not so much style as things I worked at, little nuances that I worked at. The way I played the game doesn't mean you have to play it that way. I would say, I'm throwing quick here - this is a run play, but I'm throwing quick because the corner is off at outside leverage at eight yards. So I'm going to throw a quick slant. Well, you know, how do you get to that? Little things like that. Then from a leadership standpoint, always being accountable and things like that. Taking the blame. . . . You got to play the game the way you play it. He has done a heck of a job with that. But we spent a lot of time just kind of talking about what had made me successful. Very knowledgeable guy. And we got along fine. I mean, really. There were no problems between Aaron and I. I had no problem with him becoming the next quarterback for the Packers. It was bound to happen at some point. I have no problems with the success that he's had. In fact, I'm proud of it. And you know what? I was well aware of the media making a big deal out of it. I mean, I'm not going to sit there and fight it all the time. I knew it wasn't true. Aaron knew it wasn't true. Did I talk to him all the time? No. Do I talk to other guys all the time? No. So he knows how I feel about him and he knows how I feel about his career up to this point."
In talking about his own mental toughness, Favre said part of it sprang from his sense that he never felt he could rest on his laurels. He was driven by not wanting to be replaced.
"I never, ever rested - (that) I'm fine, my position is safe, no one is going to beat me out," Favre said. "I always looked over my shoulder. Other people may be different. I remember how I got the job. (Don) Majkowski had gotten hurt. It wasn't a major injury but it was enough to give me a shot. I could have either gone in and screwed it up or I could have gone in and bettered my chances. I did that. Three hundred some odd games later, Don is still maybe looking going, 'You know at some point he is going to get hurt.' Or the next guy saying that. I was willing to try, even though it may have been crazy, because I wanted to be accountable, I wanted to be there for my team, first of all. But second of all, I knew that they can forget you pretty quickly."
Favre was asked what level of involvement he would like to have with the Packers' organization, if he wanted to be a kind of ambassador for the team.
"First of all, I don't think they need one," Favre said. "Green Bay, the reason it is Green Bay is because it's just that. It's the Green Bay Packers. The tradition, the history. The former players, the coaches that make up this great history speaks for itself. I don't have to go out and promote the Green Bay Packers. I don't want a position. I don't want to be given one just for kicks and giggles. I'll say it here. I'll say it any day, any time to anyone, that is a tremendous organization that has been able to survive in a world - that there is no way you would ever start a franchise in Green Bay. No offense Green Bay. It's the same size as Hattiesburg. But tell me where you have a non-Jerry Jones ownership type setup that has succeeded. There's only one. It's Green Bay in a market that there is no market, if you look at it from a grand scheme of things.
"I'm not looking for any favors," Favre said. "I think the fact that I played there and played for so long and had some great success to me is enough."
But what about not so much promoting the team, but just feeling comfortable going back to Lambeau for big games and spending time around the organization.
"To what extent that will happen - and I'll tell you why it will probably happen less," Favre said. "Because I don't really like traveling, to be honest with you. After 20 years, I just got tired of traveling back and forth. . . . Will I go to some games? Will I be a part of it? Absolutely. To what extent, I have no idea."