At least one aspect of the Favre saga has been resolved: The Vikings won't be punished for alleged tampering with Favre.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ruled Monday that he found no violations of league policy in the Packers' tampering complaint against Minnesota Vikings. The Packers filed tampering charges last month, suspecting that interest from the Vikings was the main reason Favre had suddenly changed his mind about playing in 2008.
And Minnesota coach Brad Childress denied reports that the Vikings have talked to the Packers about a potential trade for Favre.
"We haven't had any contact" with the Packers, Childress said Monday.
Vikings coaches apparently did have contact with Favre in the offseason, but Goodell found that their conversations didn't violate league tampering rules. In a statement, Goodell said, "None of those conversations suggest that Favre was soliciting a job or that other teams were soliciting his services."
Digital Soapbox
The Packers reluctantly embraced Favre's forced return to the football field Sunday, after failing to come to a financial agreement that would manage to make Favre happy while staying retired. And while Favre's role remains unclear, Rodgers said Sunday that he's ready for a potential competition.
"I know if they do open it up to competition, not a lot of people give me a chance, but I believe in myself and I'm going to be the best I can be," Rodgers said.
As the Favre saga continues to take unexpected twists and turns, the Packers apparently are turning to an expert in crisis management: Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer gave a lecture to Packers players last week about media relations -- an event that was scheduled before Favre got the so-called "itch" to play again -- but the team apparently thought highly enough of Fleischer's advice that they decided to keep him around.
"Can't you tell?" McCarthy quipped Sunday night, after he was asked about a foxsports.com report that the Packers were employing Fleischer for one month as a consultant.
"I don't know the specifics," McCarthy said. "If he is, I might go see him when I'm done here."
Since leaving the White House, Fleischer has gone on to become president of Ari Fleischer Sports Communications, a joint venture with IMG. Last week, Fleischer told The Associated Press that he discussed the Favre situation with Packers players.
"Obviously, it's a topic, and it wasn't ignored," Fleischer said.