Financial giant Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. has traded $12 million in real estate assets to the New York Jets for quarterback Brett Favre.
Lehman chairman and CEO Richard S. Fuld, Jr. stated that Favre’s expertise at improvising and making something out of nothing is sorely needed at Lehman Brothers in the wake of filing for the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. “All I know is that it’s fourth and long for Lehman. There’s no one else I’d rather trust to come through for us than Number Four,” Fuld said.
Though 38 years old, Favre is coming off one of his best seasons, in which he threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns, and paid off the mortgages on his vacation homes in Mississippi and Wisconsin. Favre is renowned for his last-second heroics and gunslinger attitude—a mindset which occasionally leads him to make ill-advised throws into double-coverage and award high-risk loans to questionable borrowers.
“I’m here to help Lehman Brothers win,” said Favre at his introductory press conference, where he appeared relaxed in his customary Wrangler jeans, gray T-shirt, stubble and aw-shucks grin. “There’s a lot of similarities between the West Coast Offense and running a global financial services firm. I’m still learning a lot of the terminology, but I think I can make some big plays for us down the road.”
Before he left the podium, a reporter asked Favre if he would commit to Lehman Brothers for more than one year.
“We’ll see,” Favre said.