Brett Favre Retires

I think now I know what it feels like to be tased.

What a jolt! Complete electroshock!

It's over.

Zap!

Biloxi paper: Packers quarterback Brett Favre is retiring

The Brett Favre era apparently is over.

The man who has been the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback for all but three games of the last 16 seasons, the only quarterback an entire generation of Packers fans has known is retiring.

Favre’s brother, Scott, told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald’s Al Jones, who is close to the Favre family, that Brett is retiring.

Jones also reported that Brett Favre has told Packers coach Mike McCarthy that he’s retiring.

Fox Sports also reported Favre’s retirement, but did not cite any sources for its report.

Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, told ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen that Favre told McCarthy of his decision on Monday night. Cook also said there no plans at this time for Favre to hold a press conference.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Quarterback Brett Favre told Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy Monday night that he was going to retire.

But his agent, James (Bus) Cook, told me a few minutes ago that he believes Favre wants to play another year and didn't get the sense that the Packers wanted him back all that badly.

"It's my opinion," Cook said of the Packers' lack of interest. "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."

Cook said that Favre feels physically and mentally capable of playing at least one more year.

"I think he wanted to play," Cook said. " 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."

Cook was asked whether he thought Favre could be talked into returning: "I don't know," he said.

It's hard not to connect the timing of Brett's retirement with the announcement yesterday that Randy Moss signed with New England, "settling on a three-year, $27 million deal that included a $12 million signing bonus as part of a total of $15 million in guarantees."

I don't want to believe that's why Favre retired today. I would hate the Favre era to end on a sour note.

This comes as such a shock. I didn't think it was going to happen now. After such a spectacular season, I thought we'd see Brett back playing at Lambeau. Never again.

When a quarterback is 38 years old, I suppose it shouldn't be a shock to learn that he's not coming back for another season. But it is.

It's a reminder that time doesn't stand still. It moves too fast.





I feel very, very old right now. Very old and very sad. I'm genuinely sad.

Should news of the retirement of Brett Favre stir thoughts of mortality? It does for me.

This is weird, life without Brett. Get used to it.

I'm telling myself to get a grip and have a "Thanks for the memories" sort of attitude. Remember the good times. What great memories!

I think that's why this is so tough. It's because those good times were so good.

__________________

STATEMENT FROM PACKERS GENERAL MANAGER TED THOMPSON:

Brett Favre has informed us of his intention to retire from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL. 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.