New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre, who won three Most Valuable Player awards during his 18- year National Football League career, is retiring, a person with knowledge of the decision said.
Favre previously announced his retirement after the 2007 season, then said he was “never fully committed” to the decision. He returned to the NFL last year with the Jets after a split with the Green Bay Packers, the franchise he played with for 16 of his first 17 seasons and guided to two Super Bowl appearances.
The person asked for anonymity because an official announcement hadn’t been made. Neither Jets spokesman Bruce Speight nor agent Bus Cook immediately returned calls seeking comment. ESPN reported the news this morning.
Favre, 39, and the Jets fell short of the playoffs with a 9- 7 record last season, when he led the NFL with 22 interceptions. He praised coach Eric Mangini, who was fired after the season; general manager Mike Tannenbaum; and owner Woody Johnson in an e- mail sent to ESPN, the sports network said.
“Mike and Woody, as well as the entire organization, have been nothing short of outstanding,” Favre said. “Eric could not have been any better. I enjoyed playing for him.” Decision Deadline Tannenbaum said last month on WFAN radio in New York that he would like some “initial feedback” about Favre’s plans before the Feb. 18 NFL Combine, where teams scout incoming players. It would help the Jets prepare for the start of free agency on Feb. 27 and for the NFL draft in April. New Jets coach Rex Ryan had said he hoped Favre would return.
After the season, Favre said that if he were going to announce his retirement again, he would do it with little fanfare and without an emotional news conference like the one in Green Bay.
“I’m sure people are tired of seeing me get emotional,” Favre said at a news conference in January. “People would probably say, ‘Oh, here he goes again.’ I think it would just be better for me to just thank the Jets, and I sincerely mean that. It was well worth what I invested. But I’m going to just quietly step away if that’s what happens.” Favre set NFL career records with 464 touchdown passes, 65,127 passing yards and 291 consecutive starts by a quarterback. He also holds records for pass attempts, completions, interceptions and quarterback wins.
Rift in Green Bay Favre became the first player to win three NFL MVP awards and won a Super Bowl with the Packers after the 1996 season. His decision to file for reinstatement with the league last offseason caused a rift in Green Bay, where the team was planning to start Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
When Favre asked to be released or traded, the Packers dealt him to the Jets, who were coming off a 4-12 season. Green Bay received a fourth-round draft pick.
Favre threw a career-high six touchdown passes in his fourth game in New York and helped the Jets to an 8-3 start that included a win over a Tennessee Titans team that was 10-0 at the time.
The Jets then lost four of their final five games and were beaten out by the Miami Dolphins for the division title, with Favre throwing eight interceptions and two touchdown passes in that stretch. Medical tests performed after the season revealed Favre had been playing with a torn biceps tendon in his throwing arm. While he didn’t blame the injury for his struggles, he said it did affect his accuracy.
“Am I old and washed up? Maybe so,” Favre said after the final game of the season, a loss to the Dolphins. “If so, it’s time to do something else.” Remaining Quarterbacks With Favre’s retirement, the Jets are left with Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff at quarterback.
Clemens, 25, has started eight games over his three NFL seasons with the Jets, throwing for five touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Ratliff, 23, has never appeared in an NFL game.
After acquiring Favre, the Jets released former starter Chad Pennington, who was voted the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year last season after leading the Dolphins to the division title and a playoff berth.
Jeff Garcia of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kerry Collins of the Titans, Byron Leftwich of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Rex Grossman of the Chicago Bears are among the quarterbacks eligible for free agency this offseason.
Another possibility might be the New England Patriots’ Matt Cassell, who replaced the injured Tom Brady this year. The Jets would have to trade for Cassell because he’s not a free agent.
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