MILWAUKEE - Brett Favre acknowledged his anger over the team's unwillingness to pull off a trade for wide receiver Randy Moss, but denied Monday he ever really wanted the Green Bay Packers to trade him.
"I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England," Favre said on the Packers' Web site. "I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay. I want to finish my career as a Packer."
It's an attempt by the three-time MVP to calm the maelstrom that started when he spent Saturday venting about the Packers' front office in a handful of interviews at his charity golf tournament. Fox Sports' Web site reported Sunday that Favre's agent called Packers general manager Ted Thompson shortly after last month's NFL draft to request a trade.
That request was denied, according to the report, and Packers coach Mike McCarthy eventually calmed Favre down and got him to admit that he never really wanted to play elsewhere.
"Sometimes when I get frustrated, I let my emotions got the better of me," Favre said in the statement.
Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, did not return a call from The Associated Press.
Packers officials have not denied that Favre's agent requested a trade. Packers general manager Ted Thompson said on Sunday he was not willing to divulge details of talks the team has had with players or agents.
"We try to encourage open and honest dialogue with players and their agents," Thompson said, in a statement posted on the Packers' Web site. "But if those talks later are shared with third parties, the willingness of players to be open in future conversations may be compromised."
Thompson acknowledged Favre's frustration, but said he expected the Packers to be successful in 2007.
"I think it's natural for a player to be frustrated from time to time - that's simply being human," Thompson said. "Everyone knows that Brett Favre is all about winning. As an organization, we share that commitment. And we want to win now."
The Packers have signed several of their own key defensive players to long-term contracts this offseason, including cornerback Al Harris, linebacker Nick Barnett and defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins.
But Green Bay has been among the least active teams in free agency and did not pull off a long-rumored trade for Moss on draft weekend, spurring criticism from Favre during his charity golf tournament in Tunica, Miss., on Saturday.
Favre told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun-Herald that he was frustrated that the team passed on a chance to make what he called a "steal" of a deal to get Moss, and wonders whether the Packers won't become a contender again until after he retires.
"Our offense struggled last season," Favre told the paper. "If it were not for our defense, we would not have won eight games. Right now, it's hard to be optimistic. I'm not getting any younger and I think everyone knows that. I don't have five years to rebuild. No one in Green Bay is saying rebuild but it's hard to look at where we are going and say, 'How can they not be rebuilding?"'
But Favre, who told the team in February that he was returning for his 17th NFL season, reiterated his commitment to Green Bay on Monday.
The Packers have a three-day mandatory minicamp beginning Friday, and it remains unclear whether Favre, who had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle in late February, will attend.
"As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we're going to see from one year to the next," Favre said. "I really enjoy the young guys I'm playing with. I'm working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life. I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good."
"May 14, 2007" wrote: