Vikings' Brad Childress: We've Moved on Past Brett Favre

MANKATO, Minn. -- There isn't any Brett Favre debris to clean up within his team or his organization, Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress insisted Thursday, because the once, twice, three times-retired former Packers and Jets quarterback did not accept Minnesota's proposal to take over the starting job.

Childress said he has no regrets about his team's distracting three-month pursuit of Favre, which began immediately after the Jets released the 39-year-old from his contract in May, shortly after the NFL draft.

The courtship – played out in full view of the media, incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson and newcomer Sage Rosenfels -- continued like a bad reality show until Tuesday, when Favre confirmed his latest retirement is for real this time – no really. Seriously.

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"It was important to have it done before training camp,'' Childress said of his talks with the perpetually indecisive Favre. "Bud Grant was always big about players not getting to the stadium too soon, OK? I always talk to my team about, 'Kickoff is at noon. I don't want to see you sitting in front of your locker at 8 o'clock in the morning.

"So [Favre] didn't have to be here one second before [the July 30 reporting day for training camp]. And we didn't have to know before that. Those guys [Jackson and Rosenfels] took all the turns they could possibly get in the springtime. If anything, they worked a little bit harder in the summer. "

So an offseason spent looking over their backs, wondering if their mini-camp and organized team activity work was for naught, that dynamic was motivational for Jackson and Rosenfels?

"I have no regrets, no,'' Childress said flatly.

The Vikings coach held a team meeting Thursday morning with the 79 players who reported to Minnesota State University-Mankato -- the only no-show is first-round draft pick Percy Harvin, who remains unsigned.

Childress doesn't believe the extended Favre negotiations were in any way detrimental to his quarterbacks' psyches, or to Vikings' team chemistry in general. Childress dealt with Favre primarily by telephone. Other members of the Vikings' organization were more hands-on, making the trek to Hattiesburg, Miss., to personally watch Favre work his way back from offseason biceps' surgery, including offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Team trainer head trainer Eric Sugarman visited Favre in Mississippi twice.

"I don't think they're scarred at all,'' Childress said of his quarterbacks who are actually on the roster. "As a matter of fact, we had a laugh with the whole team this morning. If anybody thinks Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson are going to incomplete a pass or scuff a pass and turn around and said, "Sh*t, I wish you wouldn't have been talking to Brett Favre,' that's preposterous. We're good."

As far as the Vikings are concerned, it's as if this madcap Favre-to-the-Vikings saga never happened at all. The team will not be pursuing other quarterbacks to compete in training camp with Jackson and Rosenfels, Childress said – unless there is a significant injury to one of the quarterbacks under contract. That means John David Booty might even see a snap or two in Mankato.

"Yeah, it's behind us. No rear view mirrors on those little golf carts we have," Childress said. "Just moving forward. Kind of have the blinders on."