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“When I was watching it and reading — and all I did was watch it and read like everyone else in the country — I was saddened a little bit by it,” Holmgren, the Seattle Seahawks coach who was Favre’s coach with the Packers from 1992 through ’98, said in a conference call with Wisconsin reporters Wednesday.
“I knew all the principals involved pretty well, and they’re all honorable, good guys. Everybody is. And ... I thought it was too bad. It was too bad. I was hoping that things would get resolved, but I think both sides went on with their lives.”
Holmgren, who admitted it will be “a little weird” facing the Packers sans Favre on Sunday in Seattle, avoided commenting throughout the Favre saga — Holmgren is also close to Packers general manager Ted Thompson, who ran the Seahawks’ personnel department when Holmgren had the dual coach/GM role — and the coach said Wednesday he only spoke to Favre once, about a month after his March retirement, on the phone.
“He’s playing very well. I had a chance to watch him (on TV) against Arizona and he had a great game,” Holmgren said of Favre’s six-touchdown performance. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Nothing he does anymore really surprises me. He’s a special, unique athlete, and if he wanted to play, I think you’re foolish to bet against him. He’s just one in a million, and he’ll always be a favorite of mine.”
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said he took Favre’s trade to the Jets as proof that no one is irreplaceable.
“I think it’s a lesson to players across the league: If it can happen to Brett Favre, it can happen to anybody,” said Hasselbeck, a backup to Favre from 1998 through 2000. “I did talk to him a couple times and I said, ’Hey, listen man, as long as you’re not coming to Seattle, I wish you the best and hope you can extend your career.’ So fortunately he ended up on the other coast.”
Health watch
The Packers’ defensive line will remain depleted, with ends Jason Hunter (hamstring) and Michael Montgomery (ankle) unlikely to play Sunday against the Seahawks.
Coach Mike McCarthy said Montgomery “has a pretty good sprained ankle” and there is only “a slight potential that he’ll be able to practice Friday.”
While Montgomery may work out before the game in hopes of playing, Hunter is expected to miss his third straight game.
Safety Atari Bigby (hamstring) may be another week away from playing, while safety Aaron Rouse (knee) was among the players practicing on a limited basis Wednesday.
“I want to play this weekend. (But) I don’t want to go out and hurt myself and be out four more weeks,” said Bigby, who hasn’t played since Sept. 14.
No. 3 receiver James Jones (knee) did not practice and said he didn’t know if he’ll play Sunday.
Extra points
McCarthy said linebacker Danny Lansanah, who was promoted from the practice squad after the Miami Dolphins tried to sign him, will be active Sunday and play on special teams. Lansanah replaces released veteran Tracy White on the roster. ... To replace Lansanah on the practice squad, the team signed defensive end Rudolph Hardie. A 6-foot-2, 269-pound rookie from Howard, Hardie spent training camp with the Detroit Lions.
