Favre returns to practice after father's funeral

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Brett Favre returned to the Green Bay Packers on Friday, two days after his father's funeral, and the focus for himself as well as his teammates was squarely on football.

Favre practiced for the first time since he led the Packers to a 41-7 victory at Oakland on Monday night, a day after his father died.

"Obviously, he had some catching up to do," coach Mike Sherman said following the afternoon workout. "But, he's been doing this for quite a long time. So, he probably had less catching up to do than most players would."

Neither Sherman nor Favre's teammates had any concerns about how their field leader will be emotionally when they play Sunday against Denver at Lambeau Field.

The Packers (9-6) enter the last game of the regular season in contention for a playoff spot and likely will need to beat the playoff-bound Broncos.

"Today was pretty good for him," tight end Bubba Franks said. "He kind of needed it to kind of shake off the rust. All those days off can kind of catch up to you. But, he'll be pretty good (Sunday)."

Favre, who handled all the snaps with the starting offense, wasn't available for comment after practice.

Any questions about how Favre would be able to cope with the sudden loss of his father were erased in front of a national TV audience Monday.

He threw for 399 yards, 311 in the first half along with four touchdowns.

At the urging of his family, Favre decided to make his 205th consecutive start, an NFL record for quarterbacks, shortly after learning that Irvin Favre died late Sunday afternoon at age 58. He had a massive heart attack while driving near his home in Kiln, Miss.

Favre returned to Mississippi following the game Monday night. The funeral, which was attended by Sherman, other Packers officials and backup quarterback Doug Pederson, a close friend of the Favre family, was Wednesday.

Sherman excused Brett from practice Wednesday and Thursday. Favre's arrival at team headquarters at Lambeau Field on Friday morning was low-key. Players and coaches, alike, were respectful in their conversations with Favre on the field and in post-practice meetings.

"That's his business now," Franks said. "Nobody wants to ask him about it or even think about it or even talk about it, period. ... We know he's here with us."

Sherman said Favre seemed to be holding up amid a difficult holiday week.

"He's a tough cookie. He's handling it in stride," Sherman said. "I'm sure privately it's a little different than publicly with his teammates, but he's handling things well."