Brett Favre banter is fun, isn’t it? As a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan, and as a person who feels he has a clear understanding of how the team operates under Ralph Wilson, I’m here to give six reasons why Brett Favre isn’t coming to Buffalo.
Why six?
Because that's how many I ended up with.
1. Dick Jauron is the coach, and, more importantly, Turk Schonert is the coordinator.
This is not your mama's West Coast offense. Whoever picks up Favre, and wherever he goes, it will be to a place with a West Coast offense similar to what he has run in Green Bay. Nobody is going to ask Favre to learn a new playbook from scratch, and Favre isn’t going to want to.
2. He controls his own destiny.
“Hi Brett, it's Ted Thompson. You’re out of retirement, right? Our best deal is with Buffalo, so we’re going to send you there.”
“Yeaaaah, about that, Ted. I’m staying retired. I have some errands to run. Thanks anyway.”
It's Buffalo. The Bills. They haven’t made the playoffs since Y2K was a scary thought. He doesn’t need to be a savior because he doesn’t have the skills to carry a team on his own anymore.
Packer fans are crazy because they idolize Favre. Buffalo fans are psychologically damaged from sports trauma and controversy.
Favre wouldn’t be a hero in Buffalo unless he won a Super Bowl, and that wouldn’t be fair to him. He would be analyzed, overanalyzed, and ultimately compared to Jim Kelly.
He would not be able to live in the city because of the high expectations and fans' craziness. He needs to be in the best situation to win, live a life, and leave a positive legacy. That place isn’t in Buffalo.
3. Favre needs a city that can handle a big, small-market personality.
The major media ignores the Bills today, and despite the media attention Favre will bring, fans will complain that the Bills are only getting attention because of Favre, not because of the Bills (yes, this is how the Buffalo mind thinks).
And it will be true. Favre doesn’t stay "The Man from Smallmarketville" by going to another small market. He needs a stage with a microphone where No. 4 will always be plastered everywhere. Sure, that will happen in Buffalo, but as stated earlier, it's Buffalo.
This has been the QB situation in Buffalo:
-Flutie/Johnson
-Bledsoe
-Bledsoe/Losman
-Losman
-Losman/Edwards
-Edwards
Buffalo fans are tired of rotating QBs, they’re tired of QB controversies, and they’re tired of being sold a QB as a savior. They’ll see through Favre as another savior, and they already back Trent Edwards as the leader of the young core.
4. Finances
Edwards as the starter saves the Bills mucho dinero, and will for a long time. He isn’t the starter just because they think he is better than Losman. He is the starter for contract reasons as well. Ralph Wilson is a cheap-expletive.
Bringing in Favre quickly adds $12 million to the books that the Bills don’t want. It reduces a $78 million Toronto payday down to $66 million pretty quickly. It hurts with negotiations for young, key players Jason Peters and Lee Evans.
The Bills have sold the most season tickets in years and all games are a lock to sell out. Does the merchandise sales of Favre memorabilia add enough to offset his enormous salary from what is set to be the most profitable year in Bills history?
5. Weather
Favre isn’t leaving Green Bay to play in Green Bay lite. Lambeau might be colder, but I’ll be surprised if Ralph Wilson Stadium isn’t the windiest stadium in the league. Yes, Favre has a cannon, but every QB ever, from Kelly to Marino to the Mannings to Favre himself, has been humbled by those winds.
Does the most intercepted QB in league history really want his swan song to be at wind central station?
6. The Patriots (and to a lesser extent, the rest of the AFC).
By now I hope we have seen common themes in the article—Favre coming back should be looking for a good fit for himself, wanting to leave a legacy and win a Super Bowl.
The Patriots own the AFC East, which happens to be the Bills' division as well. I’m serious. I’m pretty sure Bob Kraft has licensing and trademarks on “The AFC East, brought to you by the New England Patriots.”
Add in how strong the Colts, Chargers, Jags, and Steelers are, then the Browns, who surprised last season, and the fact that there are always one or two surprise teams (Ravens? Jets? Raiders? Broncos?), and where do the Bills, built around a core of young draft picks and young free agents, fit?
If Favre is smart, and there is no conclusive evidence that outside of the football world he is, he should stay in the NFC.
There they are. Six reasons. Hopefully that was more fun for most than reading the calculation for pi.
comments (8) write a comment »
write a new comment
2 months ago
Dude you're crazy if Favre belongs anywhere its the Bills who have a young team he could elevate to playoff caliber and thus revive a football team which was prominent throughout the 90's. I think if he really wants to play then hell consider it.
2 months ago
RAIDERS,JETS,BRONCOES,thats funny!!The Bills won 7 games with one of the leagues hardest scheduels, with 17 thats right 17 players on injured reserve.This article a joke, not guarenting anything but if Favre goes to the Bills look for atleast 10 win,and just maybe if he playes like last year 13 wins.Marshawn Lynch is atleast a top 10 back,Lee evans is a solid reciever,a solid o-line with Pro bowler jason Peters,a top 3 special teams unit,and a now top 10 D with all the starters back to health,and additions of Mitchel,Stroud,McKelvin,a healthy Posluszny.Look for the bills to be the Brown of last year and then some!!!
2 months ago
I'm not trying to start anything here, so don't go that route. I'm simply commenting.
If anyone believes for a second that Brett Favre is going to Buffalo, they're insane. Firstly, I don't believe that the Packers are even trading Favre, but let's ignore that and assume he really is on the market.
Why would Buffalo risk alienating their QB of the future (currently present) in Trent Edwards? Bringing in Favre for a one-off would potentially destroy his confidence and set the Bills back.
Another thing, how is weather an issue? The guy has play in Green Bay the last 15 years and is rumored to be going to Minnesota or Chicago, among other places. You really think he cares about the weather?
And as for the schedule? You basically made your point with him even going to Buffalo--he wants a chance to win. Going to the AFC obviously isn't his best shot.
You also act as if Brett seems to love his name in the papers and hearing himself talk. He never really shows up in stories until it's time for him to decide on his career. I really doubt he wants to go to a major-market team and hear about himself 24/7, 365.
I'm sorry but this just seems like an unneccssary piece that really has no meaning or value. No one in their right mind would ever believe Favre going to Buffalo is a possiblity and the reasons you listed hold little to no merit.
from 2 months ago
Im not exactly sure what you see as a problem. Its called reasons why he is never coming to Buffalo. I have seen numerous pieces, including national pieces, stating Buffalo as a logical destination. If you think my reasons are different than yours, fine, but overall, glad we agree.
2 months ago
1. I agree this will stop favre from coming to buffalo. (but I wish he would anyways)
2. No he doesn't. Green bay will get the best trade value for him while trying to deal him to the AFC. If he controled his destiny he would have been released and signed by the vikings.
3. Are you joking. Buffalo would worship Favre. He would be caption comeback by bringing a weak team (I'm refering to the past 7 years of poor records not the ablity of this years team) to the playoffs. Jerseys would sell like crazy. Like the same hype of Drew Bledsoe a couple years back. Also, he has all the media attention... I'm sure it will follow him to buffalo.
As For Edwards, How many young QBs are thrown into the fire and never pan out as leaders. Favre doesn't have enough time to turn him into Aron Rodgers. Edwards could use 1 or 2 years.
4. Buffalo is way under the cap and as you said will be recieving 78 million. the jersey sales for Favre could make up some of that money.
5. the weather is the same... bret knows home to play in it. Thats it... Unless Favre has said, "I want to play in a Warm city" this is a null point.
6. He is an NFL player, he would love the challege of playing the patriots. That would just help his media needs. Favre beats the perfect Patriots after 2 horrible losses last year. Who will get credit for that. Him!
here are 2 reasons he might come to buffalo
Lee Evans- have our recent Qbs been able to throw the long ball to him? Farve would love him
Hardy- 6'6" Favre really wanted Randy Moss, yes Hardy isn't Randy Moss but I'm sure he will be the biggest Redzone threat.
Last year we had NO passing game which hurt our offense and allowed more time for the opponent to rack up points and yards against our defense. Favre would take pressure off Lynch and the running game and make the defense statistically look better. (less time on defense = less yards on defense in most cases)
You only have One point, it is true and maybe more important than all the others but the reasons are not as one sided as you make them appear.
-jake
2 months ago
in my eyes what ever Brett decides to do will inevitably be his decision and his alone. I will still be a packers fan and a brett fan no matter where he goes. that just meens I'll have to watch two teams instead of 1. win win situation for me and for football in general. He will do great where ever he goes.
2 months ago
I think the biggest reason Favre won't be coming to Buffalo... The team doesn't want him. They won't make an offer for him and the organization will not inquire about him. They are happy with Edwards and don't want a guy for (probably) a single year campaign. It would only set the franchise back with lost experience for Trent and another year closer to losing key players to potential free agency.
So really it doesn't matter what Favre things or if the city would embrace him. The guys who sign the checks are not interested.
2 months ago
Honestly the only reason why i would want Favre in Buffalo is for Trent Edwards. Every one who is a Buffalo fan knows that this kid has potential. FAvre can be to the Bills what Kurt Warner did for the Giants.... does anyone rememeber that one... who was the young quaterback Eli Manning.....I say Favre would def be able to teach Trent a thing or two about throwing the pellet down the field.. Buffalo as one person mentioned managed to almost pull off a wild card this year with almost half of there team on the injury reserved list. With a young and talented team such as this one I dont see any reason why they cant pulloff a playoff run just as the Greenbay packers who finished 4-12 in 2005 went to 13 -3 in 2007... why cant he do it again with this team with the same amount of time... honestly all we need is a good solid quaterback....we have the defense the receviers and the a great running back i say if Bret comes to buffalo all the merrier
write a new comment