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Favre Must File Letter To Show For Packers Camp

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 26, 2008

MILWAUKEE - If Brett Favre plans to show up for the Green Bay Packers' training camp, he'll need permission from the NFL. And as of Friday evening, he had not petitioned the league for reinstatement.

NFL spokesman Randall Liu said the league did not receive a letter from Favre on Friday. The step is considered a formality, but an important one: Favre can't return until Commissioner Roger Goodell receives and approves the request.

The NFL Network reported earlier Friday that Favre told Packers general manager Ted Thompson he plans to report to training camp and could file his reinstatement letter as early as Friday, a move perhaps designed to force the team to quickly trade the three-time MVP.

Speculation on a potential new home for Favre has centered on Tampa Bay, but the New York Jets also emerged as a potential trade partner for the Packers. Jets quarterback Chad Pennington said Friday that GM Mike Tannenbaum told him the team has talked to the Packers about Favre.

It didn't sound like Tannenbaum assured Pennington that the Jets aren't interested.

"Bottom line, an organization has to take a look at every player available in this league. Period," Pennington said. "A general manager and a head coach is going to do everything they can do to make their team as good as they can make it. That's their job."

Tannenbaum would not confirm conversations with the Packers.

Pennington, who already is competing with Kellen Clemens for the starting job in Jets camp, said he wasn't overreacting to the Jets' potential trade for Favre.

"My whole focus is on this camp," Pennington said. "Winning this starting quarterback battle, so I don't really have any thoughts. It's part of the business: speculation, calls, one organization calling another about players. There's nothing to be said. As a player, you never react until it's actually done."

Earlier Friday, Jets coach Eric Mangini dodged questions about the team's interest in Favre.

"I'm happy with the quarterbacks we have, and we look at a lot of different scenarios every night," Mangini said. "And trust me when I tell you that we look into a lot of different scenarios every night. It's just normal operating procedure for us."

That's just about the only thing normal in the ongoing saga surrounding Favre's football future. And if he follows through with his intention to show up to camp, Favre would likely become an even bigger distraction to a team that's spent the past several offseasons dealing with his constant waffling on whether to retire.

Report: NFL To Stream NBC Games In Real Time

NEW YORK - The NFL will stream 17 prime-time, regular-season games in real time on NFL.com and NBCSports.com, including the season opener between the Redskins and Giants, according to an advance copy of a story running in Monday's SportsBusiness Journal.

The league has never streamed games in real time in the United States.

The online video will come from NBC's broadcast feed, with the call by announcers Al Michaels and John Madden. The league has not decided how to treat the advertisements, but it's likely the NFL and NBC will sell new online ads and share the revenue, SportsBusiness Journal reported.

BEARS: Kick return star Devin Hester reported to training camp, ending his holdout while negotiations on a new contract continued.

BENGALS: Waived running back Kenny Irons after he failed a physical examination.

BRONCOS: Signed first-round draft pick Ryan Clady, who is projected to start at left tackle. The deal is believed to be worth $20 million for six years.

CARDINALS: Agreed to a six-year contract with cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, their top draft pick.

COWBOYS: Said they will waive veteran receiver Terry Glenn, who resisted signing an injury clause after missing most of last season with a right knee injury.

GIANTS: Plaxico Burress missed the first two training camp practices Friday with an ankle injury while his agent spoke with the team about renegotiating his contract.

JETS: Danny Woodhead, the NCAA's career rushing leader while at Chadron State, was carted off the practice field Friday with an apparent knee injury. The nature and severity of the injury weren't immediately known.

PANTHERS: Signed tackle Jeff Otah, who was the 19th overall pick.

RAIDERS: Finally released running back LaMont Jordan after being unable to trade him to another team.

RAMS: Running back Steven Jackson, entering the final year of his contract, was a no-show for the opening day of training camp. Coach Scott Linehan said getting a contract extension was a "priority."

SAINTS: Signed second-round pick Tracy Porter to a four-year contract, then released veteran tight end Eric Johnson, whose starting job was in jeopardy after the Saints traded for Jeremy Shockey earlier in the week.

SEAHAWKS: Lawrence Jackson, the speedy defensive end and first-round pick out of USC, signed just minutes before Seattle's first practice of training camp. The deal was worth $11.25 million for five years, including a $6.1 million signing bonus.

STEELERS: Signed running back Rashard Mendenhall, agreeing to a five-year contract with their first-round draft pick. The contract is reportedly worth nearly $12.6 million, with $7.125 million guaranteed.

TEXANS: Signed first-round draft pick Duane Brown, an offensive lineman from Virginia Tech who is expected to start this season.

TITANS: All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth signed his $7.25 million, one-year tender as their franchise player.

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