Jared Allen, one of three Vikings players who flew to Hattiesburg, Miss., to talk Brett Favre out of retirement before the 2010 season, joked that he's prepared to take to the skies again if need be.
"If he comes back, I'm going to fly down there and tell him to stay retired," Allen said today before looking into a nearby camera, adding, "Brett, if you're listening, stay retired, man. He can't come back again."
Favre apparently feels the same way. Speaking to SportsTalk 570 in Washington, D.C., the former Packers and Vikings – and Falcons and Jets – quarterback confirmed an ESPN report that the Rams reached out to Favre through his agent, Bus Cook, about coming back to replace Sam Bradford, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament and is out for the season. Favre, however, nipped the latest Favreapolooza media fest in its infant stages by reminding people that he's a 44-year-old grandfather who isn't fond of being sacked.
"It's flattering," Favre said. "But there's no way in hell I'm going to do that."
Allen said he thinks Favre could pull it off if he wanted to.
"I saw him this offseason," Allen said. "Dude's in good shape. He could probably come back and still sling a few."
Favre retired -- again -- after leading the Vikings to the NFC Championship game during the 2009 season. But Allen and then-teammates Ryan Longwell and Steve Hutchinson were sent during the following year's training camp to talk Favre into coming back, which he did. But the magic stayed in Mississippi as Favre's 20-year career ended with 11 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions in 13 starts during the Vikings' 6-10 season. His streak of 321 games, including postseason, ended because of a sprained shoulder on Dec. 13, 2010 against the Giants.
