http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-spbrettjet0807,0,7128384.story
The New York Jets outbid the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and pulled off one of the biggest trades in team history by acquiring quarterback Brett Favre late Wednesday night. (AP Photo/The American, Matt Bush)
GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Jets have pulled off one of the most stunning trades in their history, acquiring Brett Favre from the Packers late Wednesday night. The Jets outbid the Bucs for the 38-year-old Favre, whose arrival means the departure of 32-year-old Chad Pennington.
The story was first reported by FoxSports.com and confirmed by the Jets shortly after midnight.
The Jets were said to have made a better offer than the Bucs earlier in the day. It is believed the Jets traded a fourth-round pick in 2009, although the pick could go as high as second-rounder based on the team's performance.
Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson issued a statement early Thursday.
"I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform," Johnson said. "He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible product on the field.
"Mike Tannenbaum and his football administration staff did a great job of navigating this complex process. I am excited about welcoming Brett, Deanna and their family to the Jets organization."
The Jets play the Browns Thursday night in Cleveland in their preseason opener.
Both Jets quarterbacks, Pennington and Kellen Clemens, had been asked consistently about the possibility of acquiring Favre. Pennington seemed most perturbed by the situation, though he never outright criticized the organization for pursuing Favre.
"My whole focus is on this camp and winning this starting quarterback battle," Pennington said early in training camp, "so I don't really have any thoughts ... There's nothing to be said. As a player, you never react until it's actually done."
Pennington added that he preferred that the situation be resolved sooner rather than later.
"Our organization looks at every opportunity regardless of the player, regardless of the situation, regardless of who they have here in camp," he said.
"Just as they scout every quarterback coming out of the draft, they look at every quarterback that's on the free-agent wire. Regardless of our quarterback situation, Mike and this organization take the approach that they have to look at everything, so they can say at the end of the day that they've done all of their homework and drawn out all of the things necessary to make the team better.
"Whether it happens or not, that's always a different question and a different story."
Favre left Green Bay Wednesday morning with his wife, Deanna, and his agent, Bus Cook, and returned to Hattiesburg, Miss., after two days of intensive discussions with the Packers about Favre's future. Favre was reinstated to the Packers' roster Monday, and he spent several hours speaking with coach Mike McCarthy, general manager Ted Thompson and team president Mark Murphy about how to reach a compromise. In the end, the Packers felt Favre wasn't fully committed to playing for the team. Favre felt likewise.
"I was asked the question if I was totally committed to the Packers," Favre told the Hattiesburg American after returning Wednesday afternoon.
"I know it's been documented and I posed the same question back to them. I don't think either side could totally commit after all that's happened. Because the bottom line in all of this is playing football. And I've always been committed to my job. I know people say, 'You need to put the personal issues aside.' And I agree, but I couldn't do that."
Cook told the newspaper the Packers didn't want Favre to return.
"Bottom line, he wanted to go back," Cook said. "He was committed to play football. Was he committed to playing with the Packers? He was more committed to playing for the Packers than they were committed to having him. There was zero commitment to having him back. They didn't want him back."
Without a chance to resume his career with Green Bay, Favre expressed a preference to be traded to the Vikings. But he was rebuffed on the request because Minnesota plays in the same division as the Packers. The Bucs and Jets were the only teams that had expressed consistent interest in Favre, who previously downplayed any interest he might have for either team. Favre was said to be more interested in the Bucs than the Jets, but indicated Wednesday he was open to joining either team.
Tampa Bay appeared to be a palatable fit, since the Bucs run a similar offense to the Packers and coach Jon Gruden was a Green Bay assistant early in Favre's career. The Jets had always maintained an interest in Favre, although there had been some concern the team might be used as a pawn to increase Favre's trade value in a deal with Tampa.
In the meantime, Favre had come to terms with not playing again for Green Bay.
"I felt like it was always going to be a distraction," he said. "It's best that they had a clear-cut path that they were going to go on. And if I'm going to play, try to play elsewhere, and see what happens."
Favre said he wanted to get to his new team quickly.
"I'd like to say I feel pretty good, but at the rate I'm going, I don't know what I'll be doing," Favre told the newspaper. "I know Bus made the comment the other day that I may be the starter at Oak Grove [High School, where he works out]."