This QB competition has nothing on ‘Favre-a-palooza’
J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray will command plenty of attention, but nothing compares to the circus surrounding Brett Favre’s arrival in Minnesota in 2009.
Kevin O’Connell has pledged to hold a legitimate quarterback competition in training camp. I will admit that this news has caused me to wake up in a cold sweat at night.
The last time I covered a Vikings quarterback competition I ended up standing next to a guy dressed in a parrot costume outside Winter Park waiting for Brett Favre’s arrival following a helicopter surveillance chase.
Those were the days.
It was the summer of 2009. Or the “Summer of Favre” as my partner on the Vikings beat, Judd Zulgad, and I came to call it. Former tight end Visanthe Shiancoe gave it a different nickname: “Favre-a-palooza.”
It was a circus.
We didn’t take vacation that summer because, inevitably, that would be the day Favre woke up in Mississippi, called ESPN’s Ed Werder and said, “Do I think I can play? I believe I can.”
Favre Watch didn’t take PTO.
The ’09 Vikings were loaded with established star talent, except at quarterback. Landing Favre would’ve made them instant Super Bowl contenders. Tarvaris Jackson and veteran Sage Rosenfels were set to battle in camp for the starting job.
The whole Favre-in-purple angle was “man bites dog” material, something too absurd to become reality.
Fans probably still suffer from whiplash following the daily updates coming out of Mississippi that were relayed in our Star Tribune reports.
Favre is throwing passes to high school kids.
Favre’s injured shoulder isn’t responding favorably.
Actually, his arm feels great.
Wait, no, it doesn’t.
On and on it went.
This was our lead paragraph in one update: And on the 87th day he was anguished.
That was in response to an ESPN report stating that Favre “remains anguished” about whether he should come out of retirement and join the Vikings.
We thought we had reclaimed our lucidity when Favre called coach Brad Childress the day before the Vikings reported to training camp to say that he would remain retired. That drive down Highway 169 was made with renewed intent on covering the Jackson-Rosenfels camp duel.
Oh, the vision of Favre never really disappeared. There were “credible” reports that someone had spotted him driving around Mankato in a convertible. It sounded ridiculous, of course, but, but, but … what if?
We checked it out. False alarm.
Training camp in Mankato concluded, practices moved back to Winter Park, all was normal.
Until it wasn’t.
Word spread one day that Favre was flying to Minnesota on owner Zygi Wilf’s private jet. The Vikings suddenly became the epicenter of the NFL and, it seemed, the entire free world.
TV trucks lined the street across from the team facility. Fans started showing up to witness the spectacle.
Childress had driven to pick up Favre at the airport, which added to the surreal nature of what was unfolding. One TV station provided live footage tracking Childress’ SUV making its way back to Winter Park with Favre. We later learned that players were eating lunch in the cafeteria and watching the breaking news, as if they were following the O.J. Simpson chase.
A crowd of several hundred people between media and fans stood along the street. The Vikings sent security outside to maintain order. Eden Prairie police showed up to assist.
The guy in the parrot costume stood holding a sign above his head. He was advertising for some restaurant, which was genius marketing, by the way.
Passing cars stopped to gawk and honk. Finally, Childress’ car came into sight. Fans roared with excitement and rushed into the street, swarming the vehicle as Childress pulled into Winter Park. Police officers were yelling, “Get back! Get back!”
The parrot stood holding his sign.
Favre waved from the front seat and smiled.
The Vikings practiced a few hours later. Favre was there on the field, not in purple but in a red jersey that quarterbacks wear. That scene at the end of that day — and that entire saga — was indescribable.
The Star Tribune did a compilation of our video reports throughout the “Summer of Favre.” It was a series of clips of us saying, “He’s going to play, he’s not going to play, he’s going to play, he’s not going to play.” It included a clip of us reporting Favre had called Childress the day before training camp to tell him that he couldn’t play.
The final scene showed the chaos of Favre’s arrival with a guest appearance by the late Sid Hartman screaming into the microphone that he’d never seen anything like it.
The quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy that will continue at camp later this month figures to be slightly less eventful. Right?!
It’s the Vikings and quarterbacks, of course, so some drama is expected. Observers are examining it as an either-or outcome, but the injury history of both quarterbacks suggests each will start games this season.
Alas, it will take a lot to overtake the ‘09 story in terms of theatrics.
Only if LeBron shows up in town.
Now that would warrant a parrot costume.
STRIB
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
That summer was crazy. This competition, or whatever you want to call it, is not anywhere near the same. When Favre landed at Winter Park, it just felt special. It felt like something different. Ended up being one of the best seasons for the MN Vikings.
Canthony wrote:
That summer was crazy. This competition, or whatever you want to call it, is not anywhere near the same. When Favre landed at Winter Park, it just felt special. It felt like something different. Ended up being one of the best seasons for the MN Vikings.
Yeah, don't get the author's comparison. Doesn't make sense. Completely different situation and scenario.
Unless the thought is K1 is going to bring the juice Favre brought?? Which is silly.....very silly. 😆
I think ole Chipper was just using the Favre year as context and to print something up till things kick off next week...
But yah, I'm with Ca ; 09 was a special year that sadly ended abruptly and in heart-ache (for me anyhow)
Onward we march to 26!
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
I think ole Chipper was just using the Favre year as context and to print something up till things kick off next week...
But yah, I'm with Ca ; 09 was a special year that sadly ended abruptly and in heart-ache (for me anyhow)
Onward we march to 26!
To keep you coming back and interested apparently, as I thought you said you were over this QB batlle already. 🤪
IceRatz16 wrote:
To keep you coming back and interested apparently, as I thought you said you were over this QB batlle already. 🤪
100% over the fan bickering...
But still looking forward to TC. Lets get s hit rolling.
Hope spring eternal, even 50 years later ;)
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
A better juxtaposition would have been LeBron hype, but that seems yet to catch fire.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
StickierBuns wrote:
Yeah, don't get the author's comparison. Doesn't make sense. Completely different situation and scenario.
Unless the thought is K1 is going to bring the juice Favre brought?? Which is silly.....very silly. 😆
I agree that the article makes a ridiculous comparison between the theatrics of Favre to whatever theatrics might be involved in this year's camp. Murray's obviously not had the same kind of career as Favre and he brings with him nowhere near the media circus that Favre did.
But I think you might be mixing in some benefit of hindsight to your recollection. How much "juice" Favre still had was a legit question at the time. When he came to Minnesota, Brett Favre was 40 years old. And this was long before Tom Brady, or anyone else for that matter, was playing good football at that age. He also spent the year prior in New York with the Jets and had a terrible season, throwing 22 interceptions. He was also coming off bicep surgery and many thought he was done, so this was no slam dunk.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
MaroonBells wrote:
I agree that the article makes a ridiculous comparison between the theatrics of Favre to whatever theatrics might be involved in this year's camp. Murray's obviously not had the same kind of career as Favre and he brings with him nowhere near the media circus that Favre did.
But I think you might be mixing in some benefit of hindsight to your recollection. How much "juice" Favre still had was a legit question at the time. When he came to Minnesota, Brett Favre was 40 years old. And this was long before Tom Brady, or anyone else for that matter, was playing good football at that age. He also spent the year prior in New York with the Jets and had a terrible season, throwing 22 interceptions. He was also coming off bicep surgery and many thought he was done, so this was no slam dunk.
Maybe its me, but that's not how I remember it: that team had playmakers on both sides of the football. The expectations were through the roof when Favre cruised in on Zygi's jet for that initial press conference. Once his health was verified, it was game on. The whole season was electric. This 2026 Viking's team is not that team and K1 is not Brett Favre. Nobody thought he was done, but yes concerns about being 40 were there but they knew that amazing offensive line was going to keep him clean all year and have a strong run game to support him. (other than the cheapshots from New Orleans).
I enjoyed the walk down memory lane and the comp the author made was pretty loose, it's not like he was saying Kylerpalooza will be the same.
I still remember going back and forth with people on PT that summer about Favre. There were a LOT of people who felt he'd never in a million years sign with us, and a lot who thought it wouldn't be worth the headache if he did. Reasonable takes but man I'm glad Favre wound up joining. Magical season despite the devastating finish. Favre-to-Lewis in the back of the endzone, thumping Dallas in the playoffs, AD running wild and Jared and Favre having the time of their lives out there. Special season for sure.
pattersaur wrote:
I enjoyed the walk down memory lane and the comp the author made was pretty loose, it's not like he was saying Kylerpalooza will be the same.
I still remember going back and forth with people on PT that summer about Favre. There were a LOT of people who felt he'd never in a million years sign with us, and a lot who thought it wouldn't be worth the headache if he did. Reasonable takes but man I'm glad Favre wound up joining. Magical season despite the devastating finish. Favre-to-Lewis in the back of the endzone, thumping Dallas in the playoffs, AD running wild and Jared and Favre having the time of their lives out there. Special season for sure.
That playoff game vs Dallas was probably one of my top 2 fave of all games at the metrodump.
I had been going there since Warren Moon was howitzering beautiful spirals 50 yards downfield to Carter and Reed.
BTW, they both had 1000 yard seasons with Moon.
Moon also had Q. Ismail, chris walsh and David Palmer catching his passes...Not too shabby
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
That playoff game vs Dallas was probably one of my top 2 fave of all games at the metrodump.
I had been going there since Warren Moon was howitzering beautiful spirals 50 yards downfield to Carter and Reed.
BTW, they both had 1000 yard seasons with Moon.
That WR room also had Ismail, chris walsh and David Palmer...Not too shabby
I think Sydney Rice just scored again.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
Yeah, I'm with a few others here as I see very little correlation between this QB situation and what happened with Favre.
When Favre arrived, there was no real quarterback competition. He wasn't brought in to "compete"; he was brought in to start. The only drama was whether he was actually going to sign. Once he stepped off Zygi's plane, everyone knew who QB1 was.
I remember that feeling well. It honestly felt like Christmas morning. We had a championship-caliber roster on both sides of the ball, and Favre felt like the final piece of the puzzle. I also remember some fans saying a Super Bowl would somehow feel "tainted" because it would've been won with a longtime Packer. I just wanted the Lombardi Trophy. We paid Favre to come here because we believed he gave us our best chance to win.
The only real parallel I can draw is that Favre came from a disappointing season with the Jets and joined a Vikings team that was built to contend immediately. Beyond that, the situations couldn't be much more different.
Favre was a 40-year-old Hall of Famer with an MVP résumé. Murray is a talented veteran trying to revive his career while competing with a 22-year-old former first-round pick who has only 10 NFL starts after missing over 600 days of competitive football due to injury. Those are completely different storylines.
Gaaah...I may still need PTSD treatment from that mess. I wasn't a big fan of the effort, though I certainly got swept up in the momentum and charisma of the season as it went along.
I'm not a huge "hype" guy, I tend to think that people addicted to camera time should seek the help they need. Seeing our football team-typically just sneered about by pundits-suddenly becoming front-and-center in every sportscast felt odd, at best.
I appreciate that he tried, left it all out there. I'll always wish terrible and disturbing things on coach Payton and the Aints defensive clowns involved. But, in the end...it was one more excruciating season with soul-crushing disappointment and with fewer wins, but more drama than the '98 team.
Getting close to Vikings Football time...!!!
JustInTime wrote:
I think Sydney Rice just scored again.
I may be in the minority, but was never a big fan of Rice...
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
I may be in the minority, but was never a big fan of Rice...
I liked him plenty when he was on the field and at full speed...so, for a solid 10 games or so in Purple.
Getting close to Vikings Football time...!!!
purplefaithful wrote:
I may be in the minority, but was never a big fan of Rice...
Favre really squeezed everything out of him.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
JustInTime wrote:
A better juxtaposition would have been LeBron hype, but that seems yet to catch fire.
LeBron is a great comparison to Favre situation. All about the person. Perhaps it won't be as big because James has already prostitued himself across the league so it won't match the Favre in purple hype.
The most frustrating thing about the Favre thing was it was so predictable. He got run off from GB because he held the team hostage simply to avoid training camp. He wanted to play, but not put in the time in TC. He did the same here for both years.
Zanary wrote:
I liked him plenty when he was on the field and at full speed...so, for a solid 10 games or so in Purple.
And then Seattle signed another Viking WR to their ultimate disappointment.
Edit Post (mod action — author will see a notice)
Warn Poster
Suspend User (3 days)
The user will be suspended for 3 days and will receive an email with the reason and information about how to appeal.