New Succession Planning for Favre

I’ve written about succession planning– and about Bret Favre (click here, here, here, and here). I didn’t have Favre in mind when I first wrote about succession planning, but his two retirements and reversals make the great quarterback almost a case study in succession planning woes.

Favre’s career numbers and his records speak for themselves. But when he retired from the Green Bay Packers, his team of 16-17 years, only to then go play for the New York Jets and then to the Minnesota Vikings, his image was tarnished. He became like everybody else.

He did little for the Jets. He did a lot for the Vikings. He proved that a 40 year old quarterback can still play great football and come close to a Super Bowl. His link to the Packers has been broken forever, and after such a long, brilliant career with Vince Lombardi’s team, I think that’s sad.

According to the New York Times, the Vikings want him to return for another season. Or put another way, they want Favre to do whatever he wants to do. That’s not how succession planning works. Any employer hopes that when it’s time for a key employee to leave, both the employer and the employee are on the same page. But it’s not the employee’s call — or shouldn’t be.  The Packers made the call and thought Favre was on the same page. When it turned out he wasn’t, the Packers stood their ground, and Favre left in a huff.

I’m sure Favre could play another season. He might have another good season, or he might have a season like he had with the Jets. Vikings management should make the decision, not Favre.

Whatever happens, his game against the New Orleans Saints last Sunday underscored one thing: old age’s aches and pains will be particularly hard on him.