No one – not even his critics, his detractors, or his haters – could dispute what a beating Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre took during his team’s Jan. 24 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game at the Louisiana Superdome.

Now, courtesy of the Claron-Ledger newspaper of Jackson, Miss., we have photographic evidence of just what a toll that game took on the 40-year-old quarterback.

Clarion-Ledger sportswriter Rick Cleveland had the photos emailed to him by Favre’s agent, Bus Cook. One is of Favre’s ankle, the other of his hamstring – both of which he injured against the Saints.

Now, for an editorial comment: I’m not sure anyone questioned Favre’s toughness – either after that game, or in general. He’s hands-down the toughest player I’ve seen play in person, and his ironman streak already was proof enough of that.

But here’s what I’m wondering: Why would Bus Cook make these photos public? He had to know Cleveland would post them online, didn’t he?

I’m just asking because I can’t remember in my 14 years of covering the NFL a player – or a team – putting photos like this out there. Favre obviously took a lot of criticism for the interception he threw on his final pass – costing the Vikings a chance to win the game – before the Saints won the game in overtime, and I’m just curious what Cook’s motives are.

Here are the photos:

Darin Gantt of the Rock Hill (S.C.) Herald handicaps the possible destination of Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers, who is virtually assured of not returning to Carolina in 2010 – and sorry, Packers fans, but your team isn’t on the list.

The Panthers have to decide whether they want to use the franchise tag on the 30-year-old Peppers in an effort to keep him – at a cost of more than $20 million – or use it with the intention of trading him, or simply let him depart via free agency without any compensation whatsoever. Panthers general manager Marty Hurney has until Feb. 25 to decide whether to use the tag, and free agency begins March 5.

Peppers said last year while trying to talk his way out of Carolina that he wanted to go to a 3-4 team, and the Packers are now a 3-4 team. Also, former Panthers defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac is on the Packers' staff as the defensive line coach.

Gantt lists Philadelphia and New England as his favorites to land Peppers, throws Washington into the mix because of owner Dan Snyder’s willingness to throw money around (especially in what’s expected to be an uncapped year) and has Seattle, Houston, Denver, Chicago and San Francisco as his sleeper picks. He also has his “out of the mix” list as New Orleans, Indianapolis, Minnesota, New York Jets, Dallas, Arizona, Baltimore, San Diego because they’re members of the “Final Eight” and can’t sign free agents unless they lose one of equivalent value.

The Boston Globe’s Albert Breer has an interesting tidbit on Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews’ feeling that he’d be drafted by the New England Patriots last spring. Talking with Matthews at last week’s Pro Bowl practices, Breer reports that Matthews was virtually convinced that he’d end up in New England.

The Packers drafted Matthews with the 26^th overall pick after packaging their second-round and two third-round picks in a trade with – yep, the Patriots – to move up. Matthews finished with 10 sacks, was third in the NFL defensive rookie of the year balloting and made it to the Pro Bowl as a first alternate.

 "We kind of knew with my talent and where I was projected to be drafted and with (the Patriots’) needs, I thought it might be a possibility I end up there," Matthews said. "But hey, (I) couldn’t be happier in Green Bay.”

Matthews' father, Clay Jr., played for Patriots coach Bill Belichick from 1991 to ‘93 in Cleveland, which made the younger Matthews think he was headed to the northeast.

“Another reason I thought I might end up (there was) the simple fact that Belichick coached my father. It seemed like a perfect fit at the time," Matthews said.

GREEN BAY – The Packers lost another long-time employee to another club Wednesday, when executive Mark Schiefelbein was named Vice President – Football Operations for the Cleveland Browns.

Schiefelbein, who had been with the Packers since 1992, rejoins former Packers coach Mike Holmgren, the Browns’ president. The two men shared a close relationship during Holmgren’s tenure in Green Bay.

In addition, ex-Packers strength coach Kent Johnston was hired by the Browns Wednesday. Johnston worked for Holmgren in Green Bay (1992-98) and Seattle (1999-2003).

Schiefelbein, a native of Reedsburg and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, has been working in the NFL for more than two decades. He spent the past 18 years with the Packers, most recently serving as the Director of Football Administration/Communications. He began his NFL career as an intern with the Packers in 1989, then spent two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before coming home to the Packers in 1992, working in public relations, community relations and operations during his time with the team.

Packers director of football operations John Schneider left the team to become the Seattle Seahawks’ new general manager last week.

Remember a few years back when Packers.com jumped the gun on Brett Favre’s retirement when a page that was supposed to be inactive and not for public consumption somehow went live for everyone to see?

Well, the Minnesota Vikings had a similar computer glitch at Vikings.com during Sunday’s NFC Championship Game – and if you believe in karma, then you might just have your explanation for quarterback Brett Favre’s hopes-crushing interception in the final minute that led to overtime and eventually the New Orleans Saints’ 31-28 victory.

Apparently, someone from the IT department who was prepping for if the Vikings beat the Saints pushed the wrong button and made this the front page of Vikings.com for a time during the game.

So if you’re a Vikings fan and don’t want to blame Favre’s interception on Favre being Favre, and the Sports Illustrated cover jinx wasn’t enough for you, perhaps we have another reason for why the purple lost.