Brett Favre Surgery Seems to Signal Return for 2010

It doesn't sound like Southern Mississippi's baseball team will have to make the College World Series. Brett Favre is playing in 2010, either way.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the future Hall of Fame quarterback underwent ankle surgery Friday morning in Florida. The surgery, deemed necessary for Favre to play a second year for the Minnesota Vikings in 2010, involves a recovery timetable that leaves Favre ready to attend training camp, if he chooses.

(UPDATE: Favre confirmed the surgery in a statement Friday night.)

According to Mortensen, Favre and Bus Cook, his agent, were in Gulf Breeze, Fla., Friday morning. Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery on Favre's torn biceps last year, did this operation, too.

Mortensen's report mentioned the expected recovery time for the veteran quarterback.

A source close to Favre said the 40-year-old signal-caller would likely need four to six weeks of rehabilitation before beginning a running program that would put him on schedule to report to training camp "either at the beginning of camp or shortly thereafter."

Of course, nothing has been officially announced about Favre's return for 2010. He signed a two-year contract with the Vikings last summer, so that's the team he will play for if he does indeed decide to play.

Friday's news makes it a virtual lock that Favre will play. Why else would a 40-year-old have elective surgery that will have little to no impact on his overall quality of life?

Now, we just have to wait for the official announcement, which should come sometime around the start of training camp, assuming Favre intends to skip at least the portion that is held in Mankato, Minn., about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities. He might not show up for camp, but his streak of 285 consecutive starts will march on.

Meanwhile, the Vikings continue their offseason workouts, and this news is not likely to be anything Tarvaris Jackson is happy about. While Favre recovers from this operation and "decides," Jackson is running the team's No. 1 offense. He does so with the knowledge that Favre will be the starter when he shows up.