Three days after calling a FOXSports.com report that he talked with the Detroit Lions before their Sept. 14 game against Green Bay “total b.s.,” former Packers QB Brett Favre admitted on Wednesday that he had indeed spoken with then-Lions president Matt Millen prior to the game.
Speaking at the Jets’ training complex in Florham Park, N.J., Favre spent nearly 15 minutes answering questions about the Sunday report by FOXSports.com’s Jay Glazer that said he called the Lions before their Sept. 14 game against the Packers. The report said Favre spent more than an hour giving Millen and Lions coaches information on nuances of the offense he used to run. Green Bay won the game 48-25.
Favre, who had a bitter split with the Packers in the offseason, said Millen called to invite him to go hunting. The friends then talked about football, but Favre denied sharing any specific information to be used against the Packers.
“I didn’t give him any game planning,” Favre said. “I haven’t been in that offense in over a year. I don’t know what else to tell you. It was pretty simple.”
Favre and Jets coach Eric Mangini said that sharing information is common in the NFL, and it isn’t against league rules.
“It happens every day,” Favre said. “It happens more than you know.”
Favre initially denied any contact with the Lions, sending a text message to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King on Sunday calling the report “total b.s. . . . not true and pretty ridiculous.”
“I stand by my story 1000 percent,” Glazer said Wednesday. “I guess Brett and I will just agree to disagree on certain things. The way I do my work, I don’t go on what just one person told me. I investigated this fully and for quite some time. I spoke with several sources, and when I go with something, I make sure it’s dead-on. I think my track record speaks for itself.”
Favre said he received a call from Millen while traveling home from the Jets’ training facility, and the two spoke for 25 minutes.
Green Bay beat Detroit twice last season, including a 37-26 victory in November in which Favre set a team record with 20 consecutive completions. Favre had a bitter split with the Packers in the offseason.
“We went empty formation and just keep throwing completion after completion,” Favre said he told Millen. “They study film, they know what type of plays.
“When Matt called me and was talking about hunting and told me that he lived an hour from here, don’t think for a second I wasn’t thinking, ‘Now, surely he wants to know something,”‘ Favre said. “Yeah, I played for the Packers for 16 years and we played against the Lions a bunch, but it’s no secret what we did against them. I don’t have a playbook from Green Bay. I didn’t send the playbook. I didn’t call him and say, ‘Look, if you do this, you’re going to win the game.’ I didn’t do that.”
Favre also said Dallas quarterback Tony Romo called him last week — not the other way around — to ask for suggestions on playing through injuries.
“Next thing I know, I’m calling everyone in the league, giving out secrets,” Favre said. “I’m willing to help, but it’s awful ridiculous.”
“I did not call the Lions, nor did I call Tony Romo,” a defiant Favre said Wednesday. “I don’t know what else to tell everyone, but I’m not calling people.”
During the call with Millen, Favre said as far as he knew, he was on the line only with Millen.
But he added that if he were “a guessing man,” there’s a chance other people might have been listening in on the conversation.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m telling you, I didn’t have a game plan in my lap, driving home, saying, ‘OK, last year, third-and-3 to (the) 6, we went … hold on, light.”‘
Favre, wearing a green Jets sweat shirt and a navy New York Titans cap, held his composure throughout the news conference. He clenched his jaw a few times and only once raised his voice in anger, when he was told that former teammate Charles Woodson said if the Lions called Favre, it’s OK, but not if it happened the other way around.
“Go back and tell Charles I did not call them,” an irritated Favre said. “I didn’t call ‘em.”
Favre was asked numerous times if he might have said anything that could be perceived as helping the Lions plan for the Packers. After all, Favre and Green Bay had an ugly divorce in the summer.
“I’m well aware of the perception of what’s going on,” Favre said. “Aren’t you and isn’t everyone else? Believe me, I’m trying my best to help this team win, the New York Jets, and spending no time trying to make sure the Packers lose. I’ve got enough on my plate, believe me.”
Favre said the controversy wouldn’t change the way he approaches similar situations.
“Nothing was wrong,” he said. “If Matt calls me and says, ‘Sorry about the big deal, the offer still stands,’ I’ll take the call. I know he’s not in football right now, but, you know, nothing happened. Nothing happened that was any different than happens any other day. But the fact I was in Green Bay for so long and what happened this offseason, that makes it a big deal.
“I am who I am. I’m part of the Jets. I’m trying to get ready for the Chiefs. I don’t have time to be dealing with other issues, especially other game plans. I wish them well up there. I really do.”
Source — FOX Sports
