It sounds as if somebody isn't being completely forthcoming about what really happened between the New York Jets and Brett Favre in the spring of 2009.
Favre, who had retired after spending the 2008 season with the Jets, told New York reporters Thursday during a conference call that he talked to owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan just before the Jets traded up to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.
"They asked if I wanted to come back," said Favre, who will lead the Vikings into the New Meadowlands Stadium to play the Jets on Monday night. "I was like, 'I don't want to go though surgery and all that stuff.'"
Favre had struggled near the end of his season with New York because of a partially torn biceps tendon in his throwing arm. Eventually, he did get the biceps repaired and came out of retirement to join the Vikings in late August of 2009.
While Favre seems to think the Jets might have wanted him back, Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.com points out the team's brass has a slightly different version of things. In fact, Ryan said he had zero contact with Favre after Feb. 11. That was the day Favre announced he was done playing.
"Don't kid yourself, I would've tried to recruit him if we were unsuccessful in getting Mark," Ryan told Cimini. "I did not actively recruit him. Trust me, if I had tried to recruit him, he would've known. He would've had to kick me off the porch. I would've given him my A game, not a D game."
Shortly after the Jets drafted Sanchez they released Favre from their reserve/retired list.
The Jets had gone 9-7 with Favre at quarterback, missing the playoffs after an 8-3 start. That got coach Eric Mangini fired.