Brett Favre Retires

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Quarterback Brett Favre is retiring from the Green Bay Packers, Fox Sports and ESPN report on their websites.

ESPN says agent Buss Cook confirmed that Favre has notified the team that he won't be playing next season.

The (Biloxi, Miss.) Sun Herald says it confirmed the news with Favre's brother, Scott.

"A sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer, Favre, acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, led the Packers back to the NFL's elite," ESPN says. "He retires with 5,377 carrer completions in 8,758 attempts for 61,655 yards, 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions."

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre has informed the team that he plans to retire. Favre called coach Mike McCarthy to tell him the news Monday night.

FoxSports.com first reported the news Tuesday morning, and numerous news outlets followed. The team confirmed Favre's decision with a statement from general manager Ted Thompson on Packers.com:

"Brett Favre has informed us of his intention to retire from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL," Thompson said in the statemetn. "He has had one of the greatest careers in the history of the National Football League, and he is able to walk away from the game on his own terms - not many players are able to do that.

"The Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude. He has given Packers fans 16 years of wonderful memories, a Super Bowl championship among them, that will live on forever. Brett's many accomplishments on the field are legendary. He leaves the game holding virtually every career passing record, plus his consecutive starts streak, which may never be duplicated.

"The uniqueness of Brett Favre - his personality, charisma and love of the game - undoubtedly will leave him as one of the enduring figures in NFL history."

At age 38, Favre had a turn-back-the-clock year in 2007, completing a career-best 66.5 percent of his regular-season passes for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 95.7 passer rating, his best since 1995.

Late in the season, Favre told his sportswriter friend Al Jones of the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald that he was leaning toward returning for an 18th NFL season, in part because of the Packers' surprising 13-3 regular-season finish, which led to a berth in the NFC Championship Game.

Favre's final pass in that game was an overtime interception that set up Lawrence Tynes' game-winning field goal.

"I am trying to enjoy it because this could be my last game in Green Bay," Favre told Jones shortly before the Packers' NFC divisional playoff victory over Seattle. "(But) for the first time in three years, I haven't thought (about how) this could be my last game. I would like to continue longer."

Also, during a conference call with Seattle-area reporters earlier that week, Favre said his daughters — Brittany, a freshman at the College of Charleston, and third-grader Breleigh — both told him he should keep playing. In his interview with Jones, Favre said the conversation took place during a trip to an ice cream parlor.

"We didn't argue about it being my last game like we have in the past," Favre told Jones. "We talked about Brittany coming back in this weekend … for what could be my last game.

"Breleigh then spoke up and said, 'Dad, don't retire.' And Brittany said, 'Dad, I think you need to play one more year.'

"I have a lot to think about. It's been a fun year and winning has made it a good year. For the first time in a couple of years, at this point, my focus is solely on Seattle and winning a playoff game at home."

After the initial news broke of Favre's retirement, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on the network's First Take program that according to Favre's agent, Bus Cook, Favre informed McCarthy of his decision shortly after New England wide receiver Randy Moss re-upped with the Patriots, signing a three-year, $27 million contract.

Favre had pushed hard for the Packers to trade for Moss last offseason, but the Oakland Raiders sent him to New England instead. Favre criticized Thompson for not making the deal, and sources said in the wake of the trade that Cook went to the Packers and told them his client wanted to be traded. Favre later denied demanding a trade.

Mortensen reported that Favre had once again pushed for Moss to join the Packers. Favre had spoken to Moss late last week and was willing to commit to return for more than just this season if Moss and the Packers could come to an agreement. But the Packers did not pursue Moss, who then re-signed with the Patriots.

After Mortensen reported that, Favre called Mortensen and left lengthy voicemail backtracking on that idea and explaining his decision.

Instead, Mortensen said Favre's message focused on how he felt worn down by the demands of the game, adding that he and his wife Deanna thought anything short of a Super Bowl title would be a disappointment and not worth the mental wear and tear.

Cook told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he believes Favre wants to play another year but the Packers did not give the quarterback the impression that they really wanted him back.

"It's my opinion," Cook told the newspaper's Web site. "I know he wants to play one more year. I do not know much conversation there was (between Favre and the Packers) and I don't think anyone forced him to make that decision. But I don't know that anyone tried to talk him out of it.

"I think he wanted to play. I think he's still got it. He knows he's still got it. I think he felt he could play one more year. I don't know if they told him they really wanted him to play. That's just the feeling I got."

Asked whether he thought Favre could be talked into returning, Cook replied, "I don't know."

At the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis last month, McCarthy said he and Thompson sat down during the bye week of the playoffs and determined that Favre could still play. Asked if he wanted Favre back, McCarthy replied, "Absolutely."

After WISN-TV, an ABC affiliate in Milwaukee, reported that Favre was unhappy that Thompson had not called him since the season ended, Thompson called Favre and afterward said the two were "fine."

Favre, who came to the Packers via a February 1992 trade with the Atlanta Falcons, retires with 5,377 carrer completions in 8,758 attempts for 61,655 yards, 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions, all NFL career records. He also started an NFL quarterback record 279 straight games, including playoffs. He is the only three-time MVP in league history and led the club to its first title in 29 years when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI in January 1997.

deanna favre

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Would you say the blessing, Breleigh?” Deanna Favre said last Thursday night before dinner, and her eight-year-old daughter earnestly cast her eyes toward the floor in thought. A day shy of her half-birthday, Breleigh, a bubbly, ponytailed blonde, had much to be thankful for. “God,” she said, matter-of-factly, “thank you for this food tonight, and thank you for my family and friends, and please help us beat Seattle, and please let us win the Super Bowl, and please let me have a happy half-birthday tomorrow.”

Hard to believe, but Brett Favre feels more pressure from his young daughter than he does from a premier pass rush like the one he faced from the Seattle Seahawks last Saturday, or the one he’ll see on Sunday when his Packers host the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. Sacks he can take — 439 of them in his 17-year career — but he hates seeing Breleigh upset after a loss, something he admits to thinking about on the rare occasions when games were going south this season.

“She can’t make it easy on me, can she?” Favre said, after one of the most memorable games of his Hall of Fame career, a 42–20 NFC divisional playoff victory over Seattle in the snow globe that was Lambeau Field. “I honestly don’t want to disappoint her. You know how kids can be. I don’t want her to go to school and have other kids say to her, ‘Your dad stinks.’ Which has happened.”
Not lately. Favre, 38, has led the youngest team in the NFL to a 14–3 record and within one win of reaching Super Bowl XLII. “Did I ever think we’d be in this position?” Favre said, after the locker room had cleared out. “Quite honestly, no. I looked at us in the summer, and we were young at receiver, young at tight end, young in spots on the line. In the past, I knew every game what would work and how we’d win. Now I really have no idea week to week what’s going to go well and what isn’t. I’m thrilled about it, but it is a strange year. I’m just riding the wave.”
If weather is as big a factor in the game this weekend as it was against Seattle (the early forecast was for a high of 12°) you’ve got to like Green Bay’s chances to advance to its first Super Bowl in 10 years. On Saturday the snow that began falling early on created a near whiteout in the second half, but Favre was impervious to the conditions. He completed 18 of 23 passes on the day (two were dropped) for 173 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The offensive line overcame treacherous footing and held the cat-quick Seahawks’ front seven to one sack and three quarterback pressures. Best of all, running back Ryan Grant, who was traded by the New York Giants to Green Bay on Sept. 1 for a sixth-round pick, recovered from losing two fumbles on his first three touches to run for a team playoff record 201 yards and score three touchdowns.
Grant’s ascension­—five 100-yard rushing games in the regular season after taking over the No. 1 job in Week 8—transformed the Packers from the worst rushing team in the league after seven weeks to one that fits the philosophy of coach Mike McCarthy, who calls the plays. “I’d run it 50 times a game if I could; that would be a perfect game,” McCarthy said last Friday. Against Seattle, Green Bay ran on 35 of 59 offensive snaps (59%) and averaged a lusty 6.7 yards per carry.
Though Grant’s lost possessions quickly put the Packers in a 14–0 hole, McCarthy said he ­didn’t consider pulling his 6-foot-1, 224-pound back, who had fumbled only once in 218 regular-season touches, because he was such an integral part of the game plan. “Who gives a [bleep]?” Favre told a downcast Grant on the sideline. “We’re going to keep handing it to you.” On the next six drives the 25-year-old Grant—a slashing, physical north-south runner—punished the Seahawks with 155 rushing yards; Green Bay scored on each of those possessions, running up its final 22-point margin with 13 minutes left in the game.

Five months ago Grant, a part-time starter as a senior at Notre Dame in 2004 who went undrafted the following spring, was fifth on the Giants’ depth chart. Now he’s the hottest back in the playoffs. “When I watch him I see a hungry runner,” said All-Pro LaDainian Tomlinson, who caught some of Grant’s performance after his San Diego Chargers arrived in Indianapolis for their AFC playoff game (page 41). “The key to being a great back is that hunger.”

You can say the same about passers. The night before the game Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, who had mentored Favre in Green Bay for seven seasons, said his defense “has to hit Brett a lot. I love him like a son, but we’ve got to hit him and disrupt his rhythm.” The Seahawks, who were fourth in the NFL in sacks in 2007, with 45, ­couldn’t do it. Even when they were able to flush him from the pocket, Favre would pull out another highlight-tape play like this one late in the first half:
From the shotgun on third-and-eight at the Seattle 14, Favre brought tight end Donald Lee into the backfield as the play clock ran down to :01. At the snap, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane shot through a gap and got his hands on the quarterback. But Favre wheeled away, stumbling to his right, and as he fell he underhanded the ball to Lee for an 11-yard gain. Instead of having to settle for a field goal attempt, Green Bay got a three-yard touchdown run from Grant on the next play to give the Pack a 28–17 lead at halftime.

“It’s funny,” Favre said afterward. “You would have thought I had played in a bunch of these games, but this was my first one where it snowed the whole game. I always wanted to play when it snowed so much you ­couldn’t see the field. How great was that? I had the time of my life out there.”

Imagine if Favre can get the Packers into the Super Bowl, possibly as the final obstacle to a perfect season for the New England Patriots. Now that would give Breleigh something to pray for.

Bart Starr takes the field

Green Bay - Bart Starr, the Packers' honorary captain just walked onto the field to a huge ovation.

The Packers are now waiting in the tunnel, waiting for Fox to give them the go-ahead to take the field.