June 16: Favre admits he wants to be a Viking

Brett Favre ended weeks of silence Monday by making it clear that if his surgically repaired right arm is healthy, he wants to return to the NFL -- as a member of the Vikings. During an interview on HBO, the retired quarterback admitted it "makes perfect sense" for him to play in Minnesota, even referring to the Vikings as "we" at one point.

"It's an offense that I ran for 16 years," Favre said on the debut episode of "Joe Buck Live," referring to the short-passing West Coast offense system that the Green Bay Packers ran and the Vikings use.

Favre, granted his release from the New York Jets reserve/retired list in late April, acknowledged that the Vikings are the only team with which he has had contact and said if he's going to return, the key is going to be the health of his throwing arm.

Favre confirmed he underwent a procedure 2 1/2 weeks ago performed by noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews. The arthroscopic surgery enabled Andrews to clip the partially torn biceps tendon in Favre's right arm and thus begin the healing process. Favre was told by Andrews that he should know whether it was a success in four or five weeks.

"I don't think you can go past anything more than the arm," Favre said. "If that's not up to par, and it's not up to par when the time comes, then I can't play. I went through it last year and I've gutted it out or whatever, but it affected me and it affected our team and I don't want to do that again and I won't do it again. So that was why I went ahead and had the surgery."

Favre said Vikings head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman visited Hattiesburg, Miss., on Sunday to show him some exercises related to rehabbing his arm. And Favre admitted that Vikings coach Brad Childress asked him to attend the team's offseason workouts, even though the three-time NFL MVP with the Packers would not have been asked to participate.

"He wanted me to be there to be a part of the team and things like that, knowing that there's no guarantee my arm will be like it was before," Favre said. "I chose to stay away because I figured there would be a media frenzy if I was there and there would be a media frenzy if I couldn't play, if we had to say three weeks later, 'You know his arm is just not up to par, he can't play.' I said, 'Why not just have one media frenzy?' And that would be later on."

When asked about getting the chance to play with Vikings Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson, Favre said: "It makes a lot of sense [for me to go to Minnesota] because the pieces are in place. They do have a great running back, they have a great running game. If I go there, I mean there's no guarantees. ... I think in that situation understanding what is expected of you, knowing your team, knowing that as long as we can run the ball and complete passes when needed, we should be pretty good."

Buck asked whether Favre was concerned about tarnishing a legacy he established during his many years with the Packers.

"I think the 16 years that I spent in Green Bay speaks for itself," said Favre, who will turn 40 on Oct. 10. "There are those people who are in your corner no matter what, you can't do any wrong, even when you do wrong. And then there are those people that no matter what you do they are going to dislike you and that's not going to change. And then there are the rest that don't give a [expletive]. That's true. ... It is what it is. Whether it's right or it's wrong, who is to say? I'm trying my best not to fuel the fire even though I am. This is the first time I've spoken."

As for returning to Lambeau Field as a member of the Vikings, Favre compared his situation to legendary coach Vince Lombardi going from the Packers to the Washington Redskins.

"I don't hear too many people saying, 'That damn traitor, he went to Washington,'" Favre said. "Time heals a lot of things, and I have nothing but the highest regards for Green Bay and I mean that sincerely. Did some things happen there that may have ruffled the feathers for both sides? Yes. But, once again, the 16 years I spent there you can't take away. I wouldn't change it for anything in the world."