Truth & Rumors > NFL

How Jets convinced Favre

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Jets' general manager Mike Tannenbaum, accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and player development director Dave Szott, boarded owner Woody Johnson's private jet, a twin-jet Cessna Citation. At 5:54 a.m., the plane took off for Hattiesburg, Miss., no doubt passing Cloud 9 along the way. A little more than two hours later, Tannenbaum, working on virtually no sleep, was in Mississippi, greeting the newest and most famous Jet since Joe Namath - Brett Favre. It took 24 days to reach that moment, from the first phone call to the meet-and-greet in Hattiesburg. In between, the Jets executed a carefully scripted game plan, with Tannenbaum employing a strategy he learned from his mentor, former Jets coach Bill Parcells. On Tuesday night, after Favre's relationship with the Packers had all but disintegrated, the Jets spoke to Favre for the first time. He was at his home in Green Bay. Tannenbaum, coach Eric Mangini and Johnson turned into salesmen, extolling the franchise's newly imported talent, the new $75 million training facility in Florham Park, N.J., and the new stadium in 2010. Johnson, aware of Favre's love of hunting and fishing, extended an open invitation to his 1,000-acre homestead in central Jersey, not far from the new facility. You can hunt there anytime, Johnson told Favre. The Jets also sent a shipment to Favre's home that included reams of information about the team, along with details about the Florham Park area - everything from schools and farms to hunting and communities. Earlier in the day, Favre heard a pro-Jets spiel from Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who tried to sell them over the NFC rival Bucs. Favre reportedly told his former coach he thought the Jets had more talent than the Bucs. On Wednesday, with the Jets and Bucs the only teams in contention, the Jets sweetened their offer to the Packers. They offered a conditional fourth-round pick, which can go as high as a first-rounder if the Jets make the Super Bowl and Favre participates in at least 80% of the snaps. The Bucs' offer was nowhere close to that, a league source said.

New York Daily News

Brett Favre, AP Brett Favre, AP
August 8, 2008  07:39 AM ET

I can;t believe they gave this bum Glenn Foley's number. No loyalty whatsoever.

August 8, 2008  07:49 AM ET

While reading Peter King's article about Favre attending the Jets game last night in Cleveland something struck me as interesting. Favre was leaning heavily on Erik Ainge for insight. It would be interesting if Ainge took the same attitude that Favre took when the Pack drafted Aaron Rodgers. Favre said that it wasn't his job to mentor Rodgers and essentially that Rodgers was on his own to learn the offense. What would his reaction be if Ainge and Kellen Clemens felt like he did?

August 8, 2008  07:57 AM ET

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

August 8, 2008  08:09 AM ET

how Brett was convinced

NYJ- Brett want you to come play in new york.

Brett- no way! are you serious I want the Vikings.

NYJ - your choices are use, ride the pine behind Rodgers or Mississippi.

Brett - I Love new york!!!!!! hear you got good pizza and a big statue by the water. any chance i can get my face put on it?

August 8, 2008  08:10 AM ET

down vote with pride

August 8, 2008  08:26 AM ET

What day will fannation stop running favre stories? I'm going to say August 22nd... i'm probably way off as that might be too soon. It might be another month or so before this site realizes their is more to the NFL than a 38 year old QB.

August 8, 2008  08:35 AM ET

nobody cares ... NOBODY ... 'cept maybe Jets fans

August 8, 2008  08:36 AM ET

I can honestly say that now they have Favre, the Jets could double their win total from last year. Lol.

August 8, 2008  08:47 AM ET

Favre should have went home, or - should have just said after the playoff game "I'll be back to try to get this team to the Super Bowl next year."

What a Circus.

August 8, 2008  08:51 AM ET

I can;t believe they gave this bum Glenn Foley's number. No loyalty whatsoever.

Weapon X | 08/08/08, 07:39 AM

Maybe so but who's Foley anyway that they wouldn't give him that number.

August 8, 2008  09:03 AM ET

I can honestly say that now they have Favre, the Jets could double their win total from last year. Lol.

50yearfan | 08/08/08, 08:36 AM
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8-8 after last year I'll take it.I'm a Jet fan and even i cant wait for this mess to end.

August 8, 2008  09:10 AM ET

What a Circus.

C-Smith | 08/08/08, 08:47 AM

You are right, including the clown.

August 8, 2008  09:19 AM ET

I hate you right now, Brett, but get us into the playoffs and I might start returning your calls.

August 8, 2008  09:30 AM ET

"the new $75 million training facility in Florham Park, N.J., and the new stadium in 2010. "

A new practice facility....WHO CARES!!! New stadium in 2010...Favre will be to old to see it.....Favre is an IDIOT....

August 8, 2008  10:02 AM ET

Brettie just wanted somebody to love him and want him. Awwww. This guy is 38 going on 14.

August 8, 2008  10:07 AM ET

Please look at the Jets schedule and tell me who is going to beat them. I see a 12-4 record.

August 8, 2008  10:18 AM ET

Frunobulax.
Yes, they do have a fairly weak schedule, but they also have the Patriots (2x), the Chargers, Denver, Tennessee (at home), and Seattle. They will not - repeat: WILL NOT - run the rest of the board. Even if by some miracle they got to 10-6 - and the Jets won't - they would not necessarily make the playoffs. And by some double miracle, even if they made the playoffs, they're dead in the first round. So, I would count this a fun year. Maybe that's why Jets management got Favre: to offer "circuses" to the masses, since they are depriving them of serious "bread" for an inferior product. Favre takes the heat off as a distraction.

August 8, 2008  10:21 AM ET

I don't know... he doesn't look too convinced in the picture.

August 8, 2008  10:27 AM ET

George W. Watson ..I think you covered it all very well. Jet fans are used to smoke and mirrors by now. 40 years since being in a superbowl. What a circus act! But hey, who else has had only one winning coach in its history ( Parcells ) and has their main hall named after a coach that went 73-78 in his career with them ( Weeb). What a team.

 
August 8, 2008  10:29 AM ET

I don't know... he doesn't look too convinced in the picture.

The Duke of Awesome | 08/08/08, 10:21 AM
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Exactly. The eyes are the window to the soul.

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