Sexy sideline reporter Jenn Sterger who was allegedly bombarded with X-rated photos and voicemails from Brett Favre said she never even met the ex-Jets quarterback and at times felt “intimidated” by the attention he was giving her.
Sterger, the former New York Jets game day hostess who was at the center of the Favre sexting scandal, said, “I’ve never met him. We’ve never met.”
In an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” that aired today, Sterger said the closest she ever came to Favre was when they would pass each other in the tunnels at the old Giants Stadium before and after games.
Sterger, however, said Favre did try to meet her in 2008.
“He was like that guy at the bar that just could not get the hint,” she recalled.
Both Sterger and Favre worked for the Jets in 2008 when the randy granddaddy allegedly threw a pass at the curvy game-day hostess, as was first reported last October by the sports blog Deadspin.com.
Sterger said she never made any money off the Favre texts or voicemails. She said she’s stayed out of the spotlight over the past few months in an effort to rebuild her TV career.
“You know, I was trying to go to work. Do my job,” Sterger said. “But how are you supposed to report on the news when you are the news. … It was tough. It was embarrassing. It was humiliating. All I wanted to do was go to work. Do my job. That’s all I wanted.”
In an interview Sunday with The Post, Sterger’s manager Phil Reese confirmed that he turned down many offers.
Reese said he and Sterger together turned down $300,000 worth of offers, many of which Reese ruled out because he thought they were bogus offers, or publicity stunts.
Sterger was approached by a Jets employee who asked for her number. When she refused, Favre somehow got his hands on it.
VIDEO: STERGER INTERVIEW (PART II)
HOW THE FAVRE SCANDAL DERAILED STERGER’S DREAM
Sterger, 27, said she said she started getting text messages, then a series of voicemails. At first, she said she didn’t not know who was contacting her.
“Whenever I would reply, it was more to try to figure out who I was interacting with,” she said. “It was the same number, always. The texts, the pictures. The voicemails. There was no actual, ‘Hey, Jenn. It’s Brett.'”
In time, Sterger said she figured it out.
“It was all context clues … They would always give me the pieces of the puzzle. Forty years old. Gray hair. New to the team. That only fits a few guys on the team … No, only one guy on the team,” she said. “I always noticed that he was looking at me in the tunnel. I just had that gut feeling. I really did,” she said.
Sterger said she sought advice — with everyone telling her the same thing.
“They said, ‘Jenn, do you like your job? Well, if you like your job, and you want to keep it, I’d suggest you just be quiet. Do your job,'” she recalled.
Sterger did just that, while at the same time putting off Favre’s advances.
“It’s staving him off. It’s ‘I’m busy. I’ll talk to you later. I’m busy. I’m busy,'” she said.
Sterger said she was never flattered by the attention.
“He’s married,” she said. “And more than anything I feel like it was intimidating.”
Last December, the NFL concluded its investigation of Favre by fining him $50,000 fine for failing to cooperate with the process.
The NFL said Commissioner Roger Goodell couldn’t conclude Favre violated the league’s personal conduct policy based on the evidence available. Investigators were trying to determine if Favre sent inappropriate messages and below-the-belt photos to Sterger in 2008, when both worked for the Jets.
Favre officially ended his 20-year NFL career in January after an injury-prone season with the Minnesota Vikings. Favre has admitted to leaving the voicemails, but not to sending inappropriate pictures of himself.
“Wanted to have you come over tonight — love to see you tonight,” one recording said.
In another voicemail, he allegedly said, “I’m still trying, just got done with practice. I’ll try the other phone you’re probably caller ID’ing me but if you can make it, it would be great.”
At the end of the 2008 season, the exchanges stopped, but resumed briefly in 2009, she said.
“It’s kind of like that last ditch, Hail Mary effort. But that was it. It was gone. I didn’t respond,” she said.
Sterger, who now lives in Brooklyn and is looking for work, said, “I just want my life back. That’s all I’m asking for.”
With AP