Brett Favre expresses interest in returning to NFL & Packers as coach or scout

On Thursday morning, the same day that we at Acme Packing Company learned about the Dallas Cowboys’ interested in trading for him a decade ago, legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre took to the airwaves, making an appearance on the Wilde & Tausch radio show on ESPN Wisconsin.

Among various other topics of discussion, Favre revealed a bit of a surprise: he is considering a comeback to the NFL.

Okay, that probably doesn’t come as a big surprise, considering Favre’s will he-won’t he retirement saga that kept several teams in uncertainty for several years. But Favre clarified, noting that he would be interested at some point in returning to the NFL — and the Packers’ organization in particular — as an assistant coach or in a front office capacity.

Favre addressed the coaching aspect first, as he coached high school football for a time after retiring from the NFL following the 2010 season. “I always thought I would be a good coach, but I didn't know if I had the effort in me,” Favre said. “The competitive spirit came right back.”

At first glance, it seems like a bit of a stretch to imagine the Gunslinger coaching NFL players, considering he loves to tell the story about how he didn’t know what a nickel defense was during his third NFL season. Of course, that was a 24-year-old Favre with just one year of experience under Mike Holmgren; he undoubtedly has a wealth of knowledge to call upon from the entirety of his 20-year NFL career.

Still, it’s possible that a scouting role would be more up his alley instead, and Favre seems happy to consider a front office role instead. “Picking good players is always an art,” Favre noted, “and there's some luck involved and things like that.” However, he said that joining a scouting department has “crossed my mind.”

Bringing Favre back into the fold in Green Bay would be a fascinating way to honor his career with the Packers and maintain the good will between the two sides that has been present in recent years after their acrimonious split in 2008. However, Favre would have to earn his keep, as the Packers are not an organization to give jobs out lightly, especially under the current leadership group. Most of GM Ted Thompson’s scouts and executives have had long careers in player evaluation or acquisition, and Mike McCarthy’s assistant coaches traditionally have significant NFL or college experience.

In order to ascend the ladder in Green Bay, Favre would probably need to start out as an area scout or a coaching intern and work his way up the chain of responsibility over time. Would he have the patience for such a career trajectory? Only he knows the answer to that question.

For now, however, Favre is still content being a dad. His youngest daughter is about to start a college volleyball career at Southern Mississippi, Brett’s alma mater. Just don’t be surprised if sometime down the road you see Favre working in the NFL again — possibly while wearing Green and Gold.