Much like the boy who cried wolf, it’s hard to know what to believe when it comes to statements made by Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. He’s led us all on a merry little chase for so long that separating fact from fiction is often more of a challenge that determining just what he’s going to do from season to season.

That said, it’s likely that Favre’s latest comments regarding his vacillation on whether to return or not this season will prove to be accurate, as he clearly is more concerned about the physical toll his body will take in playing through another season than the amount of money he’ll be depositing into his bank account.

According to wide receiver Bernard Berrian, upon his return to practice, Favre made it clear to his teammates that his decision to return was based solely on his age and ability to get through an entire season unscathed, and not about a salary increase or having to come to training camp. Whether Favre’s much ballyhoed ankle played a factor into that decision or not wasn’t mentioned by Favre, but given the beating he took there last year, there’s little doubt that it’s a concern.

Obviously, it’s easy for Favre to say that money had nothing to do with his return, but there’s little doubt that his eyes didn’t light up just a little bit more if and when the Vikings brass threw out a much higher number than the $13 million he was expected to earn in the final season of his contract. None of that has been confirmed as of yet, but sources close to situation have indicated that Favre will make $16 million this season at the very least.

Now that Favre is back and is practicing with his team, there’s no denying he’ll be the starter on opening night against New Orleans, but whether he’ll be able to survive the entire season is another matter, and given the Vikings difficult schedule, backup quarterback Tavaris Jackson could end up seeing more playing time than he did a year ago.

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