SAN FRANCISCO — Being back on the field again meant plenty to Brett Favre, no matter if it was only for a few minutes.
No matter that he completed one pass and also got clobbered on a sack that lost Minnesota 10 yards.
Favre’s highly anticipated first game back with the Vikings lasted all of four unspectacular plays and one series in a 15-10 loss to the 49ers in a nationally televised preseason game Sunday at Candlestick Park, the only NFL game of the night.
“I didn’t fumble a snap, completed a pass,” Favre said. “That’s a win for me.”
Favre completed a 13-yard pass to Adrian Peterson on his first play from scrimmage but was sacked by Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis two plays later, and the Vikings wound up punting. The 40-year-old quarterback took the field just four days after his first training camp practice of the year. He decided to return for a 20th season and make yet another run at a Super Bowl title.
“There’s no substitute for getting in a game, calling plays, having a 40-second clock that you have to pay attention to,” Favre said.
“They blitzed on the last play. We technically could have picked it up, I could have made a call, but the mind wasn’t working quick enough. I would hate for that to happen the first game in real action against New Orleans.”
It’s hard to make much of the small sampling. Not that Favre’s numbers mattered to the Vikings, who were just thrilled to have him back.
Alex Smith, Favre’s 49ers counterpart, went 9-of-13 for 88 yards in a solid first half. Willis had four tackles playing only nine snaps.
