16 years after Packers traded Brett Favre to Jets, Peter King reveals how 3x MVP lost his job in Green Bay

The day Brett Favre knew his Green Bay era was finished didn't occur in a boardroom or an angry telephone conversation with management. It happened in his kitchen when NFL insider Peter King shared the blunt news.

King, the Sports Illustrated football columnist who stayed close to Favre during his playing career, saw with his own eyes the quarterback's last glimmers of hope before embracing his Packers destiny. The seasoned reporter had unparalleled access to the drama during those pivotal days in 2008.

The news was revealed in the Netflix documentary, "The Fall of Favre," aired on Tuesday (May 20).

"On the Saturday before the Packers were supposed to report, I was in Favre's kitchen," King said. "He had an agent, Bus Cook, who was telling him, 'They're going to come back to you.' And Brett said, 'What do you think?' to me, and I said, 'I think if you wanna play, you're gonna have to go to the Jets or the Bucs. I don't think you're getting your job back.' Bus thought I was full of it. And when Brett went there, he found out, 'I'm not gonna get my job back.' So, he got sold on the Jets, and, you know, the rest is history."

While agent Bus Cook maintained optimism about a potential return, King saw the writing on the wall. The Green Bay Packers had already committed to Aaron Rodgers as their future quarterback.

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Brett Favre's journey from NFL glory to scandals

Former NFL star Brett Favre. (Credits: Getty)

The "Fall of Favre" documentary unveils three-time MVP Brett Favre's complicated persona, contrasting with his public image. King's disappointment in the quarterback's legacy is evident.

Former Packers beat writer Dylan Tomlinson recalled a telling moment. His editor once asked him to write about Brett Favre as a family man, to which Tomlinson responded: "I don't write fiction."

Wisconsin-based host Bill Michaels offered insight into Favre's transformation after his father's death:

"I think Brett had a certain level of non-accountability when he became Brett Favre. But once Irv passed, he was the only one in charge of him. And I think that's where maybe things got a little off the rails," Michaels shared in the documentary.

The Aug. 7, 2008, trade to the New York Jets marked the end of an era. The same issues that frustrated Green Bay's front office would later surface in more serious allegations, including the Mississippi welfare scandal that emerged in 2022.