Brian Damage
01-20-2010, 11:34 PM
Brett Favre shouldn’t be playing for the Minnesota Vikings even though he has the team one win away from a Super Bowl berth, former Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton said.
Tarkenton, a Hall of Fame member who led Minnesota to three Super Bowl spots, said he stood by statements he made before the National Football League season that it was wrong for Favre to sign with the Vikings after playing quarterback for 16 seasons with the division-rival Green Bay Packers.
“I didn’t like it then -- he’s a Green Bay Packer -- and I don’t like it now,” Tarkenton said in an interview today at an Atlanta Press Club event. “I could never imagine me retiring from the Vikings and playing for the Packers. So, it didn’t sit well with me and it still doesn’t.”
Tarkenton, 69, played 13 seasons for the Vikings between 1961 and 1978. Minnesota lost Super Bowl appearances after the 1969, 1973 and 1974 seasons.
The quarterback, who also spent five seasons with the New York Giants, said he has nothing against Favre as a person or as a player. His issue revolves solely around Favre switching his allegiance to a rival team.
“It has nothing to do with him,” Tarkenton said. “That’s a great, great rivalry and a great tradition.”
While Tarkenton doesn’t like the sight of 40-year-old Favre wearing his former team’s purple and gold colors, his performance with Minnesota this season has been “remarkable,” Tarkenton said.
‘Best He’s Played’
“I’m just amazed,” he said. “This is the best he has ever played. He’s throwing like he’s 25 years old. He’s moving around like he’s 25 years old. It’s unheard of. No quarterback in the history of time -- we all break down over the age of 35 - - (Johnny) Unitas, (John) Elway, (Dan) Marino, (Joe) Montana, Tarkenton, (Roger) Staubach, we’ve never seen this happen ever, ever before, so it’s remarkable.”
Favre, the oldest quarterback to start an NFL playoff game, threw four touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a 34-3 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 17. Minnesota visits the New Orleans Saints for the National Football Conference Championship game on Jan. 24, with the winner advancing to face the New York Jets or Indianapolis Colts in the Feb. 7 Super Bowl in Miami.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aZBemxC91hJ0
Tarkenton, a Hall of Fame member who led Minnesota to three Super Bowl spots, said he stood by statements he made before the National Football League season that it was wrong for Favre to sign with the Vikings after playing quarterback for 16 seasons with the division-rival Green Bay Packers.
“I didn’t like it then -- he’s a Green Bay Packer -- and I don’t like it now,” Tarkenton said in an interview today at an Atlanta Press Club event. “I could never imagine me retiring from the Vikings and playing for the Packers. So, it didn’t sit well with me and it still doesn’t.”
Tarkenton, 69, played 13 seasons for the Vikings between 1961 and 1978. Minnesota lost Super Bowl appearances after the 1969, 1973 and 1974 seasons.
The quarterback, who also spent five seasons with the New York Giants, said he has nothing against Favre as a person or as a player. His issue revolves solely around Favre switching his allegiance to a rival team.
“It has nothing to do with him,” Tarkenton said. “That’s a great, great rivalry and a great tradition.”
While Tarkenton doesn’t like the sight of 40-year-old Favre wearing his former team’s purple and gold colors, his performance with Minnesota this season has been “remarkable,” Tarkenton said.
‘Best He’s Played’
“I’m just amazed,” he said. “This is the best he has ever played. He’s throwing like he’s 25 years old. He’s moving around like he’s 25 years old. It’s unheard of. No quarterback in the history of time -- we all break down over the age of 35 - - (Johnny) Unitas, (John) Elway, (Dan) Marino, (Joe) Montana, Tarkenton, (Roger) Staubach, we’ve never seen this happen ever, ever before, so it’s remarkable.”
Favre, the oldest quarterback to start an NFL playoff game, threw four touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a 34-3 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 17. Minnesota visits the New Orleans Saints for the National Football Conference Championship game on Jan. 24, with the winner advancing to face the New York Jets or Indianapolis Colts in the Feb. 7 Super Bowl in Miami.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aZBemxC91hJ0