Source: Favre looking for options

Updated: May 15, 2009, 7:16 PM ET
By Ed Werder and Chris Mortensen | ESPN.com

Quarterback Brett Favre consulted renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews regarding options for healing the partially torn biceps tendon in his throwing shoulder this week, according to a source.

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The development further indicates Favre's willingness to consider coming out of retirement to sign with the Minnesota Vikings, particularly if there is a nonsurgical solution to his damaged shoulder.

The source said Andrews and Favre experimented with one of several exercises that could accelerate the process of the tendon releasing on its own. During an interview with ESPN in February, Favre mentioned that he had a partially torn biceps tendon in his left shoulder during his Green Bay Packers career and that the pain subsided once it completely tore naturally.

If that fails to produce the desired results, it remains uncertain whether Favre would endure even arthroscopic surgery to prolong his career to a 19th season. A source close to Favre described that as an option, but rehabilitation for a projected three to six weeks is unappealing to the quarterback, who will apparently require no therapy if the tendon can be forced to tear through the exercise regimen.

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Favre, 39, has confided to friends he will not have major reconstructive shoulder surgery. Shortly after he retired from the New York Jets four months ago, Favre made it clear that he blamed the shoulder problem for his undoing late in the season.

At the time, Favre said the shoulder injury frustrated him and affected his confidence because it compromised his accuracy, and there was no pattern he could discern as to when it would interfere with his ability to deliver the football.

"My mind was telling me that I'm fine, but I would throw it, and it was not where I wanted it to go,'' he said in an interview at his home on Feb. 13. "That's telling me something, and it's frustrating. ... There started to be a little doubt that maybe I should attempt that [pass], and that's probably what's most disappointing. That's where I felt I let the team down. The downside of playing so many games and being physically healthy is that when it finally happened to me, it happened to the most important part of me -- the throwing shoulder.''

Favre said it didn't happen on every throw, but that he could never determine when he might lose velocity or accuracy and was unable to predict when the pain might return or how long it would linger.

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"It wouldn't be every throw,'' he said. "Sometimes it would be a little 3-yard pass, and the pain would go into my neck and down my arm and, for two or three plays, there would be shooting pain. I'd get it a lot in practice, and the coaches would have me take a few plays off. It started altering the way I threw, and I thought, 'You're on the way out when that starts happening.'"

NFL senior analyst Chris Mortensen, ESPN's Ed Werder and ESPN.com's Matt Mosley contributed to this report.

Ed Werder

ESPN NFL Insider
  • Covers NFL for ESPN shows, including Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, NFL Live and SportsCenter
  • Covers the Dallas Cowboys for ESPNDallas.com

Chris Mortensen

NFL reporter
  • ESPN Senior NFL Analyst
  • Joined ESPN in 1991
  • Has covered every Super Bowl since 1979

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