Deja Vu For Vikings Country?

It's only a few more days until Super Bowl XLIII. Many fans are caught up in NFL Network and ESPN's on going live coverage from Tampa, FL. I don't blame you. So am I. Viking fans find themselves in a familiar situation, flipping through many NFL Draft and NFL Free Agency guides, trying to find the quarterback that best suits our version of the west coast offense.

Of course Vikings fans remember the summer of 2008 when news and rumors circulated Winter Park regarding now-Jets quarterback Brett Favre. Favre had retired that off-season after leading Green Bay to the NFC Championship Game where they lost to the future-Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in overtime 23-20.

Then, in March 2008, Favre decided to hang up the cleats.  His press conference was emotional and many fans around the country, including me, thought this was a sign of a future comeback.

Let's fast forward to July, 2008. This was the time period where things got interesting.  By this time, the news was that Favre indeed wanted to make his return to the NFL and was talking with Packers GM Ted Thompson about the situation. Evidently Thompson wanted to move on with young quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who had been preparing with the team during off-season workouts. 

That same month, news broke that Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress and Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell had multiple calls from Brett Favre's cell phone listed on their call history. Green Bay decided to file a tampering charge against the Vikings, saying they had unnecessary contact with one of their players who was under contract. The NFL and Roger Goodell stepped in and investigated, talking with both coaches. The NFL cleared any charges, ruling the Vikings did nothing wrong.

Around this time Favre also made it clear he wanted to play in Minnesota, most likely to get back at GM Ted Thompson for not allowing his return. "OK, you guys have a different path, fine. What does that mean for me? So that means either you give me my helmet, welcome [me] back, or release me, or attempt to trade me," he said during an interview on Fox News with Greta Van Susteran.

With NFL training camps getting underway in August 2008, the Packers needed to make a move and did, with the New York Jets. The Packers sent Favre to the Jets for a conditional 4th round pick. The Jets started the 2008 NFL season off hot and many members of the media tabbed them as the team to beat in the middle of the season. During the last three games of the regular season, the wheels came off with Favre taking much of the blame for his lack of taking care of the football. During that three-game span, he threw 9 interceptions and the Jets missed the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback position was a game of musical chairs in 2008 with Tarvaris Jackson being benched by Childress after two poor opening starts to the season.  Enter Gus Frerotte, who was an instant charge to the Vikings offense.  In the middle of this success, Frerotte was injured in a game at the Detroit Lions in week 14. Re-enter Tarvaris Jackson.  Jackson then lead the Vikings to a come from behind win at Detroit, and followed it up with a 4 touchdown performance the next week at Arizona in a 35-14 win.  Jackson earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.  But in the 2008 Wild Card Playoffs at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson showed he still couldn't handle pressure and the Vikings dropped the game 26-14.

Here we sit again with the Vikings having questions at quarterback and Brett Favre potentially wanting out of another organization.  According to reports, Favre is expected to talk with Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum next week.  The Jets would need to put Favre on waivers before February 27 if they don't want to take a salary cap hit.  With the Jets desperately trying to make cap room, Favre could be in their plans for a release.

Recently, Peter King of Sports Illustrated and a good friend of Favre, has said that Favre is likely to not return to football next season unless he is where he wants to be.  King said that his gut feeling was Favre wanted to be in Minnesota.  So now the question is, would Favre be a good fit in Minnesota?

He certainly would be in a good situation with a great young running back in Adrian Peterson and a stout defense that finished number one against the run.  Favre certainly would have no problem with the offense; Bevell was the Packers Quarterback Coach from 2003-2005 until Childress hired him as the Vikings Offensive Coordinator for the 2006 season.

 Another question would be Favre's health.  The Jets medical staff recently told him he would need bicep surgery this off-season if he wanted to return next year.  Favre said he feels fine and doesn't think he would need surgery. Tannenbaum also wants Favre to attend the Jets off-season workout program, something Favre has virtually never done and something he doesn't want to take part in.

So will Minnesota make a move?  Only time will tell.  In Favre they could get a veteran with a strong arm and a mentor to Tarvaris Jackson. When Favre chooses to retire for good, Jackson would take that education and use it when he gets another shot, much like he did this year.  After all, deja vu is starting to become a trend in Vikings country.