SAN FRANCISCO – The questions had to be asked, and when they were, Mike Holmgren was ready.
Was this Holmgren’s final game as coach of the Packers? “Right now, I’m not going to deal with that,” he said.
Did yesterday’s stunning 30-27 last-second loss to the 49ers in an NFC wild card playoff game represent the end of a brief era of Green Bay excellence? “No, I don’t think so,” Holmgren said. “The Packers are going to be good for a long time.”
That remains to be seen. Holmgren might be leaving the frozen tundra in search of a job that allows him not only to coach but to also have full authority on all personnel moves. There were growing rumors that he would be returning to the 49ers in that dual role, but the victory might have strengthened Steve Mariucci’s job security with the Niners.
“I hope he stays,” Brett Favre said of Holmgren. “He’s done wonders for my career. It should be an interesting off-season.”
There can be plenty of speculation about what comes next for Holmgren, but there’s a finite certainty in what comes next for Reggie White, who played his final game and is headed toward retirement. One of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL, White has talked of retirement before, but he insists he means it this time.
“It’s time for me to do the work of God’s calling,” White said. “I am looking forward to it. God told me that this was to be my last year.”
White went out quietly. He led the league this season with 16 sacks, but he did not get near Steve Young in his final game. White finished with two tackles and was handled effectively by right tackle Kirk Scrafford.
“It’s just kind of sad to send him out like this,” safety LeRoy Butler said. “This is very, very sour, but he had a wonderful career and this will not diminish it at all. I just feel sorry for him.”
There was a sour feeling on many Packers fronts. Favre was his usual brilliant self in directing an 89-yard drive in the closing minutes, culminated by his 15-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman to put Green Bay ahead 27-23 with 1:56 remaining. But earlier, Favre threw two interceptions, including one with 5:53 remaining when an awful lob pass intended for Tyrone Davis was picked off by cornerback Darnell Walker.
It was the continuance of a season-long trend, as Favre threw a league-high 23 interceptions this past season.
“Without the interceptions, we would have been in a great position to win,” Favre said.
The Packers go into the off-season wondering about their head coach, knowing their all-everything defensive lineman has retired and that one year removed from a Super Bowl appearance they bowed out in the first round.
There was no sympathy from the 49ers. “Let them have a chance to see what it’s like to talk about coaches leaving and players retiring,” safety Tim McDonald said, “and all that crap that we’ve been dealing with over the last four or five years.”
