Childress backs Favre’s health, attitude

Vikings coach Brad Childress said during a radio interview Friday that Brett Favre is throwing the ball “pain-free,” and the coach said the Vikings offense could help eliminate some of the mistakes that has caused Favre interceptions in the past.

The love affair between Brett Favre and the Vikings – much speculated in recent weeks – is officially official.

In an interview on KFAN-AM Radio, the flagship station of the Vikings, Vikings head coach Brad Childress said that Favre was “pain-free…right now” – adding little to the conversation until he threw a player under the bus.

Defensive end Ray Edwards told ESPN he didn’t want to see the “prima donna attitude” from Favre that was rumored to be the case with the Jets – a separate locker room changing area. Childress downplayed the comment, saying, “I think it was all in jest. Defensive linemen, by nature, hate quarterbacks – and that’s OK.”

Childress went on to say that the perception of Favre’s diva attitude with the Jets last year was overblown – and that criticism of his time with the Jets should be viewed in context.

“That’s a guy who plays with passion – to a degree he wears his emotions on his sleeve,” Childress said. “You really don’t like quarterbacks that ride a roller coaster. Obviously, his standard was usually pretty good. Could he get wild? Could he throw some interceptions? Sure he could. But he plays the game with enthusiasm and excitement. There’s kind of a boyishness even though he’s approaching 40 years old.”

Childress went on to say that Favre needs to understand that the Vikings won’t be a wide-open offense that he can use to throw the kind of passes that will make him the gunslinger that has typified his career to date, but one thing is certain – Childress’ assessment that Favre is “pain-free” likely comes from a close source and, if you are Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, you shouldn’t get too excited about the promised QB battle. It’s over. If Favre is pain-free, it’s not a matter of “if.” It’s a matter of “when.”