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The former Vikings, Dolphins, and Raiders quarterback retired from the NFL in early September. He couldn't find a job that fit his desires, which was a bar he may have set too high.
Along the way, rumors got cranking that Culpepper was talking to the Lions and Chiefs about a possible return. No dice.
However, apparently whatever talking may or may not have taken place was enough to get Culpepper itching. He's back.
"A number of teams have contacted me since my retirement announcement and have provided some important information that has caused me to reconsider returning to the League. As much as I have enjoyed my brief break from playing, I know that I love the game and I have some unfinished business in the NFL. It has never been because of a lack of passion for the game but rather, the absence of a fair opportunity to compete and play that caused me to retire. Now that there are some real opportunities that match my desire to play, I will choose the one that is the best fit for both the team and me so that I can continue my NFL career. For the second half of this season, I hope to play a role in helping a team win some games. I want to thank all of those who encouraged me to 'keep a light on' for the right NFL opportunity that would eventually come back to me."
Culpepper's career decline can be directly connected to his disastrous 2005 knee injury, one that blew any chance he had to re-invent his career after the Vikings traded Randy Moss to the Raiders. Of course, Culpepper and Moss were downright lethal together in Minnesota, but Moss just couldn't be handled by the Vikings' staff anymore. They got sick of him.
Culpepper himself was traded to Miami after he was injured. He bombed there, in part because he rushed himself back from the knee injury, and he then went to Oakland last year.
Where might he go now? Good question. PFT notes that Denver has placed Patrick Ramsey on injured reserve, so there's an opening behind Jay Cutler. Perhaps Green Bay has tired of having two rookies backing up a dinged-up Aaron Rodgers.
Is there a chance he could land a job somewhere like San Francisco, where they could definitely afford to give him a shot at the starting job during the off-season?
Honestly, no one seems to know. But it's certain that Culpepper has tired of talking about a potential comeback. It's no longer a potential comeback.
And his retirement of under 60 days is quite a challenge for Brett Favre to break. You know, the next time Brett Favre retires.
