Favre: "I Was Always a Packer"

Shortly after it was announced yesterday that his number will be retired and that he will be inducted into the team's HOF next season, former Packers QB Brett Favre attempted to downplay the time he spent with the Jets and Vikings. 

According to Fox 11's Drew Smith, Favre is now claiming that he "was always a Packer," before later adding that the time he spent outside of Green Bay was "like borrowed time."

You may remember that earlier this offseason Pack President Mark Murphy was reluctant to bring the retiree back to Northern Wisconsin, citing the possibility of fans booing as a reason.

Packers Open to Playing Road Game in London

The Packers are open to playing a road game in London sometime in the future, team President Mark Murphy recently told FoxSports.com.

According to Murphy, the Pack "will never give up a home game" due to their meaning to the community, but they'll still consider one day competing overseas. 

Currently, the Pack are scheduled to visit the Jaguars in 2016, a team who has an aggreement to play in the UK sometime between now and then, making this scenario completely possible.

In 2012, Green Bay came close to taking on the Rams at Wembley Stadium, with the latter eventually facing off with the Patriots instead. 

Favre Not Worried About Possible Booing

Former Packers QB Brett Favre isn't worried about possibly being booed when he returns to Lambeau Field. 

In a recent interview with Chicago's ESPN 1000, Favre was quoted saying that he's "aware that you can't please everyone," before also claiming that true Green Bay fans don't care that he played for other teams.

Earlier this offseason, Pack President Mark Murphy announced that the club won't retire his number in 2014 due to fear of fan negativity, something that, while understandable, doesn't seem to justify delaying the event.

Yes, some people still hold grudges against Favre for the time he spent with the Vikings, although the fact that he did play 16 years for the Packers prior to that has got to be considered, as a bad ending doesn't always ruin a good story.

Locking Up Thompson "a top priority" for Packers

In an article recently published by ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky, Packers President Mark Murphy interestingly told reporters that re-signing General Manager Ted Thompson is "a top priority."

"It's a top priority," Murphy said earlier today. "I think Ted's been instrumental obviously in the run we've had. So that is a real priority."

Currently, Thompson's contract is set to expire after the 2016 draft, meaning that getting him on an extension soon is a must if the Pack are serious about keeping him, as the 61 year-old has stressed multiple times this offseason that he doesn't want to retire anytime soon. 

Murphy Would Like to Have the Draft in Green Bay

Since 2006, the NFL Draft has always been held in New York.

However, for 2015 that might not be the case, something that could end up bringing the event to Green Bay.

In response to that possibility, Packers President Mark Murphy seemed to like the idea, telling the team's official site it'd be great for the local community.

"I would like to see the draft held in Green Bay," Murphy said. "It would be great for the local community if the draft were held in Green Bay, and we’ve contacted the League regarding the specifications required for hosting the draft."

Currently, the Pack aren't the only team trying to land it, although they do seem to have a pretty good shot, seeing as they are the ones pursuing the most aggressively.

Thompson Not Planning On Retiring Soon

When somebody reaches their 60s in the football business, retirement usually isn't far away.

Packers GM Ted Thompson, 61, has been asked about that multiple times this offseason, yet continues to ignore it.

As of now, Thompson has just two years left on his current contract, although, according to team President Mark Murphy, Green Bay's happy with him and wants to have him back.

The two seem to agree on that. 

“I’m just getting started,” Thompson told reporters at a recent news conference at Lambeau Field. “No, I feel pretty good.”

Since Thompson took over Green Bay's GM position in 2005, the Packers have done pretty well on the field, compiling an 86-57-1 record while also winning 4 NFC North Titles, 2 Wild Card Spots, and 1 Super Bowl. 

The Pack haven't always been dominant during those nine years, as they did have 4-12, 8-8, and 6-10 seasons mixed in with all those successes, but still, it seems obvious that what Thompson's doing in the league's smallest city is working. That doesn't guarantee that anything will continue this way, but if the guy still thinks he can do the job well then I see no reason why the team shouldn't keep him. 

Murphy: Packers will sign Thompson to extension before McCarthy

I guess all that talk from earlier this offseason was wrong.

Despite the recent rumors circulating about the duo's future, the Packers are apparently not planning to sign Head Coach Mike McCarthy to an extension until they do the same with General Manager Ted Thompson, team President Mark Murphy recently told NFL.com Around the League's Gregg Rosenthal.

"The way we're structured, football reports through Ted," Murphy said. "And then everything reports up through me, so the first step would be to extend Ted, then he would in turn enter in an extension for Mike." 

A few weeks ago, sources were reporting that the Pack wanted to sign McCarthy to a new deal, although now that seems unlikely, especially since Thompson has just two years left on his current contract.

This news also likely destroys the rumor that current Seahawks GM John Schneider will succeed TT in the near future, although really, that probably doesn't matter.

Still, I'd imagine this report sets us up for a boring offseason, especially since it already seems that Green Bay signed their big Free Agent (Julius Peppers) back in March. That doesn't guarantee anything, but considering Thompson's track record it's probably the more likely scenario.

Packers "wanted Favre to come to a game last year"

According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the Packers "wanted Brett Favre to come to a game last year." That Mark Murphy quote, taken from the article, seems to imply that the two sides are done hating each other, which can only be a good thing. 

I mean, when you think about it this whole "Favre's a traitor" talk doesn't make much sense anymore. Yea, the guy went to Minnesota for two seasons, but still, it's not like he wasn't in the right for doing so. He wanted to play, the Vikings wanted him on their team, and that was it. I honestly don't see the complications in that, especially since #4 still played 16 years for Green Bay beforehand.

Packers CEO Murphy appears to be fine with ditching the extra point

In a recent interview with 95.3 WSCO, a sports radio based in Appleton, Wisconsin, Packers CEO Mark Murphy appeared to show support for the league's strange new proposal: ditching the extra point. 

“Its gotten to a point where our kickers are so good that its almost automatic," Murphy said. "I think this year there were 5 missed extra points out of over 1200 attempts.”

Now while I do understand why some people want to get rid of the PAT, I'm still not convinced it has to happen. I mean, people do sometimes get hurt on them and people do usually make them, but still, they're never guaranteed to be good. And also, why are we forgetting the obvious here? Football's a physical game. If people don't wanna get hurt playing it, then maybe they should consider doing something else with their lives.