Brett Favre wants to play football. This simple fact lies behind Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson’s cryptic press release and Aaron Rodgers’ politically correct statements. People have labeled him selfish and immature and suggested that he is hurting the future of the Packers. But what is truly unfortunate in all of this is that people have overlooked Brett Favre’s admirable qualities as revealed during this ordeal.

Packers fans fell in love with Favre for his boyish spirit. His unique love of the game, which seems rare in this day and age, fueled the conception of Favre-mania. Green Bay residents, analyst and former Super Bowl-winning coach John Madden and fans across the nation idolized a flawed man because he played the game the right way. Indeed, the Favre-fervor went so far that maybe you even hated him, just because your neighbor supported him so obnoxiously.

Favre’s latest move, his request to be released by the Green Bay Packers, is not a scar on the face of his prolific career but rather a testament to his undying affection for the game of football.

He tried to leave. He did. On March 6 at a tear-filled press conference, Favre told the world that he was done. But the boy in him, the kid who once declared, “Every touchdown I threw for the Green Bay Packers was really fun,” had the itch to play. Like a little kid stretching a game of pickup until the last strand of light has faded into the night sky, Favre wants to play some more football. So he called up Ted Thompson and revealed his boyish spirit once more and all that comes with it, good and bad.

Are you still opposed to Favre’s comeback? Consider the things that he has to play for. He’s not coming back to break a legendary record like Barry Bonds did in 2007. Favre already broke Dan Marino’s career TD record and has no numbers to chase. And it’s not as if Favre is out to milk the system for every dollar he can get like Roger Clemens did with the MLB for four years after his “retirement.”

Favre already has a Super Bowl ring and he doesn’t need to pad his stats to ensure a Hall of Fame bid. Thompson suggested that he was trying to protect Favre’s legacy throughout this process, but Favre responded by telling Fox News that Thompson’s supposed advocacy of his legend was “a bunch of bull.”

We, as modern sports fans, aren’t used to this kind of thing. In the era of holdouts, endorsements and showboating, Favre wants to play because he enjoys it. Maybe he isn’t the only one. He probably isn’t. But his is the most famous recent case of enjoyment being the motivation to extend a career.

The Packers want to move on. Rodgers is their quarterback and the entire organization is standing behind the decision to give him a chance. Favre isn’t stupid, and he isn’t selfish either. He understands coach Mike McCarthy’s desire to plan for the future. Favre even agrees with reporters who suggest that a comeback to the Packers would be unfair to Rodgers. The Green Bay legend requested his release so that he can play football without hurting the team and the fans that he loves so much. He reiterated in his interview with Fox News, “I’ve always been a Packer, always will be a Packer. Will I play somewhere else? Remains to be seen.”

You can criticize NFL players all you want for their lack of loyalty, but it is becoming apparent that teams don’t value their players as much as they’d like for you to think. Former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel was burned by the media for taking top dollar and running to Philadelphia. Chad Johnson has been vigorously criticized for demanding a trade out of Cincinnati. But, in a reversal of roles, the Packers, in their hesitation to welcome Favre back with open arms, have shown a lack of loyalty to one of the players who has given the organization the most over its long history.

If Favre does play in the NFL this fall, for the Packers or Vikings or whomever, turn on your TV because the guy who’s still a kid at heart might just give us one more chance to cheer.

Jack Duane is an intern for The Daily who just wants to hear John Madden’s poetic praise of Brett Favre one more time. Let Jack know what you think at jackdu "at" shschools.org.