Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Remembering the failed Brett Favre trade

Brett Favre made headlines with a post about coming out of retirement; we remember the failed attempt of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to acquire him in 2008.

Yesterday former NFL quarterback Brett Favre posted a picture to his Instagram account hinting at a comeback to the NFL, again. The picture was quickly deleted and the nearly 50-year-old Favre claimed the post was a result of his account being hacked. While this post cannot be true, it did take us down memory lane to the time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers nearly landed Favre in a trade back in 2008.

The Green Bay Packers and Favre were destined for a divorce as they were primed to hand the keys over to first-rounder from three years before, Aaron Rodgers. That is when rumors that the Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Jets had significant interest in the future Hall of Famer.

The night Favre was traded to the Jets, Gruden and his coaches thought they had landed him as former general manager Bruce Allen was deep in talks with former Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson. As ESPN New York writer Rich Cimini recalls the bizzare night:

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"“A group of Bucs coaches went out that night to a watering hole near their training complex near Disney World in Orlando, Florida, thinking Favre was theirs. Imagine their shock when the TVs in the bar flashed a late-night report from ESPN saying the Jets had swooped in to grab the future Hall of Famer” (Rich Cimini via ESPN)."

The Buccaneers, baffled, ended up trotting out Jeff Garcia as their starting quarterback. Feeling like they were on the verge of another championship run, they instead finished 9-7. John Gruden was relieved of his duties following the season and retired to the booth; he recounts the events one year after the debacle:

"“I talked to Brett on the telephone and I think if you talk to Brett yourself both of us thought he was coming to Tampa… I went to bed at about 20 minutes after 12, 12:30 thinking we had Brett Favre. I was sure we had Brett Favre. When I woke up the next day, Santa Claus didn’t arrive. It was a sad day for me” (Gruden via Star Tribune)."

Gruden thinks there was another ulterior motive behind the move as well: the Packers did not want to see Favre’s face that year and have to face the wrath he could potentially unleash on his former team. “I think that the Packers didn’t want to trade him to a team to a team that was a) in their conference and b) most importantly, on their schedule…” (Gruden via Star Tribune).

Favre is as likely to come out of retirement at the age of 50 as he was to become the Buccaneers’ quarterback in 2008. Tampa Bay has had a woeful time finding a quarterback since, but hope Jameis Winston finally pans out. Stay in retirement, Brett. It suits you.