By CHRIS JENKINS
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Brett Favre left Lambeau Field just before Green Bay Packers practice Tuesday afternoon, taking a right turn out of the stadium's back gate — away from the field where the rest of his teammates were assembling for drills.
Favre emerged from the stadium's loading dock exit at 2:34 p.m. EDT Tuesday, hugging Packers senior security advisor Jerry Parins before getting in his SUV and driving away. Shortly after, an SUV driven by Packers general manager Ted Thompson left the gate heading in the same direction.
"We're at a stalemate," Favre told ESPN Tuesday morning. "Mike and I both agreed last night that me being out there is a distraction and will continue to be a distraction. We all know the reason I'm here is because the commissioner reinstated me so we have a lot of things to figure out. It's simple and complicated, both at the same time."
The continued disagreement on Favre's role could accelerate trade talks, perhaps with the Minnesota Vikings — something Packers officials have suspected Favre wanted all along but have been firmly opposed to giving him.
Favre was back at Lambeau earlier Tuesday, less than 12 hours after a late-night meeting between Favre and Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy concluded. Not that the two necessarily reached any conclusions.
Favre and McCarthy were supposed to talk about Favre's commitment to football and his role on the team Monday night. The fact that the meeting ran several hours over its allotted time was a strong hint that it went beyond simply welcoming Favre back to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job.
Favre told ESPN he doesn't have a problem with competing with Rodgers for the starting job, and can "truly understand" why McCarthy would make Rodgers the starter. But Favre also said a competition "probably isn't going to work" and that "the problem is that there's been a lot of damage done and I can't forget it."
Favre's role still in doubt, practice unlikely....
By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com
With his family "tugging" on him to play, Brett Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Green Bay Packers later this month, according to sources close to the team and player.
Favre has communicated his potential desire to coach Mike McCarthy but talks have not advanced to a substantive stage, a Packers source said.
The source said the Packers would be reluctant to open the door for Favre because "Brett retired for the right reasons, even though I know his family is tugging on him [to play]."
Another source conceded Favre was "getting the itch" to play football in 2008.
However, Favre's agent downplayed the likelihood that the quarterback could un-retire or that he was prepared to report to camp July 28.
"As far as I know, right now, Brett Favre is retired and until he tells me something different, that's what it is," James "Bus" Cook, Favre's agent, said.
Favre was unavailable for comment. A Packers spokesman said that McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson were on vacation.
Source: Favre has 'itch' to ditch retirement, report to camp....
