Fran Tarkenton still angry with Brett Favre: 'I didn't like it then ... and I don't like it now'
Fran Tarkenton is willing to admit that Brett Favre is playing well. But that's as far as the Hall of Fame former Vikings QB will go towards complimenting the man he believes is a traitor for donning a purple uniform.
Tarkenton told Bloomberg News he stands behind his comments from last year that Favre, the longtime Packers great, joining the Vikings is "despicable":
"I didn't like it then -- he's a Green Bay Packer -- and I don't like it now. I could never imagine me retiring from the Vikings and playing for the Packers. So, it didn't sit well with me and it still doesn't."
Tarkenton touched off a controversy with his comments last May and at one point challenged ESPN analyst Marcellus Wiley, who had called him a "grumpy old man."
But stuck in his original criticism of Favre was this line, three months before the QB joined the Vikings:
"I kind of hope it happens, so he can fail."
That hasn't worked out the way Tarkenton hoped. Favre, 40, had one of his best years with 4,202 passing yards, 33 TDs and a career-low seven INTs.
Tarkenton conceded that Favre's play has been "remarkable":
"I'm just amazed. This is the best he has ever played. He's throwing like he's 25 years old. He's moving around like he's 25 years old. It's unheard of. No quarterback in the history of time -- we all break down over the age of 35 -- (Johnny) Unitas, (John) Elway, (Dan) Marino, (Joe) Montana, Tarkenton, (Roger) Staubach, we've never seen this happen ever, ever before, so it's remarkable."
Fran Tarkenton is willing to admit that Brett Favre is playing well. But that's as far as the Hall of Fame former Vikings QB will go towards complimenting the man he believes is a traitor for donning a purple uniform.
Tarkenton told Bloomberg News he stands behind his comments from last year that Favre, the longtime Packers great, joining the Vikings is "despicable":
"I didn't like it then -- he's a Green Bay Packer -- and I don't like it now. I could never imagine me retiring from the Vikings and playing for the Packers. So, it didn't sit well with me and it still doesn't."
Tarkenton touched off a controversy with his comments last May and at one point challenged ESPN analyst Marcellus Wiley, who had called him a "grumpy old man."
But stuck in his original criticism of Favre was this line, three months before the QB joined the Vikings:
"I kind of hope it happens, so he can fail."
That hasn't worked out the way Tarkenton hoped. Favre, 40, had one of his best years with 4,202 passing yards, 33 TDs and a career-low seven INTs.
Tarkenton conceded that Favre's play has been "remarkable":
"I'm just amazed. This is the best he has ever played. He's throwing like he's 25 years old. He's moving around like he's 25 years old. It's unheard of. No quarterback in the history of time -- we all break down over the age of 35 -- (Johnny) Unitas, (John) Elway, (Dan) Marino, (Joe) Montana, Tarkenton, (Roger) Staubach, we've never seen this happen ever, ever before, so it's remarkable."