Brett Favre: Fans Who Are Sick of Me Never Really Loved Me

After declaring last week that his on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again retirement was back on again, Brett Favre acknowledged that his popularity has taken a hit. But Favre says that if you got sick of Favre the last two offseasons, that means you never really loved him.

Favre tells Peter King of SI.com that he knows he was a beloved figure after his great 2007 season in Green Bay, and that he's not so much anymore. But Favre says that just means the fans who said they loved him back then didn't really understand him:

"Well, then they really didn't love me in the first place,'' he said. "Whatever. Nothing I can do about it. This whole situation, if I had it to do all over again, there're a few things I'd do different. But wouldn't we all? I don't expect everyone to like what I've done the last two years. That's life.

"For people who'd question why I did this, I didn't do it for any other reason than to try to play football for a team [Minnesota] I really wanted to play for. It had nothing to do with revenge against the Packers. Nothing. It wasn't about getting back at [Green Bay GM] Ted Thompson. How much more clear can I make it?"

King describes Favre as sounding "down," "beat" and "depressed." It's kind of sad to think about this guy, who always had so much fun on the field, feeling that way in retirement. But it's even more sad that Favre thinks the fans in Green Bay never really loved him. The truth is, those fans did love Favre. Those fans worshiped Favre. And it's Favre's own actions over the last two summers that have led those fans to re-assess their opinions of Favre.

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