OAK GROVE, Miss. -- Brett Favre, disappointed by comments made by New York Jets teammate Thomas Jones, said he wasn't going to respond.
Favre, the former Southern Miss standout, just completed his 18th football season in the NFL and his first with the Jets.
Instead of preparing for the playoffs, Favre spent a few minutes with The Sun Herald on Wednesday looking back on a season that went from promising to disappointing. The Jets bolted to an 8-3 start but finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs.
First, Favre voiced his opinion on Jones, the Jets' running back who recently criticized the NFL's three-time MVP. Jones, in an interview in New York, said he felt Favre should have been replaced in a season-ending loss to Miami after he threw three interceptions.
"As for as Thomas, I have not seen the comments," Favre said. "To be honest, I am not worried about the comments, either. Was Thomas backed into a corner or in a bad mood when he said those things? I don't know, but ripping Thomas is not my nature.
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"The bottom line is I didn't play well in the final five games. It starts with me and it should. I am not ripping Thomas because that is not my nature. My expectations of myself are high and the only one that I let down was myself."
Another Jets player, quoted anonymously, said Favre distanced himself from his teammates, something Favre denies.
"I am not going to let one or two guys ruin a career for me or the relationship I had with my teammates," Favre said. "If you poll my past teammates, I bet 90 percent would say they enjoyed playing with me.
"I am not insecure to let the comments bother me."
Favre joined the Jets after what he called an emotional offseason in which he hoped he would return to Green Bay. When those plans didn't work out, Packers general manager Ted Thompson traded the future Hall of Famer to the Jets.
That meant Favre had little time to learn the new offense, which he says is no excuse, while getting adjusted to new teammates and coaches.
There may not be a Round Two.
"I wished I had played better in the last five games," Favre said. "I knew what I was up against when I got to New York.
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"When I got traded, I thought it was worth a try. I gave it my all. It just didn't work out."
Favre also said a torn biceps tendon in his throwing arm will not require surgery and will not affect him in future.
As far as retiring or returning, Favre was direct.
"I feel the same way as last year," he said. "I will take some time and make my decision. I do know that I enjoy being at home."
-- Copyright (c) 2009, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.)/Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
