‘Tired’ Favre retires after 17 seasons

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Brett Favre has had enough.\nAfter a wild ride marked by fist-pumping highs, head-shaking lows and a record number of consecutive starts, the 38-year-old quarterback told the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday that he intends to retire.\n“I know I can still play, but it’s like I told my wife, I’m just tired mentally. I’m just tired,” Favre told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen in a voice mail message.\nEven the prospect of playing in one more Super Bowl couldn’t convince him to stay.\n“To go to the Super Bowl and lose would almost be worse than anything else,” Favre told ESPN. “Anything less than a Super Bowl win would be unsuccessful.”\nThis time, Favre’s fans won’t have to endure another long winter wondering whether he’ll return.\n“I think the finality of it just kind of hits you,” Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said. “Brett Favre’s not going to be our quarterback anymore.”\nThe three-time MVP walks away with most of the NFL’s significant passing records – most career touchdown passes, most career yards passing and most career victories by a starting quarterback – and a victory in the 1997 Super Bowl.\nAs the Packers cheered Favre’s touchdowns and victories (and cringed at his NFL-leading 288 interceptions), his body was breaking down.\n“After a while it takes a toll,” Thompson said. “And based on my conversations with him and Mike’s conversations with him, he feels like that’s enough paying of the toll.”\nThat comes from his quarterback-record streak of 253 consecutive regular-season starts – illustrating his trademark toughness. Add in the playoffs, and Favre’s streak stands at 275.\nMost thought Favre had another good year left in him. But the guy who had joyful disregard for the ironclad rules of quarterback play said he was done.\n“I was surprised when I heard it this morning,” former Packers General Manager Ron Wolf said. “He played with such a great passion. He must have figured he no longer had that passion, and it was time to get out.”\nFavre told the team he was simply worn out, physically and mentally, after starting every game since taking over as the Packers’ starting quarterback in 1992.\nHe talked to McCarthy by telephone twice Monday night, indicating he intended to retire, then spoke to Thompson to finalize his decision Tuesday morning.\n“He said it was time for him to hang up the cleats,” McCarthy said.\nFavre retires with 5,377 career completions in 8,758 attempts, with 61,655 yards and 442 touchdowns.\nThompson and McCarthy spoke at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, but the team has not said when Favre will address reporters.\nFavre accompanied his youngest daughter on a field trip to Jackson, Miss., according to a woman who identified herself as someone who works for Favre. She spoke to an Associated Press reporter through the security intercom.\n“I know the fans are absolutely devastated today,” Thompson said. “The Packers will move forward, but certainly we have all been blessed to see this man play this game the way he played it.”\nEven Favre’s teammates didn’t see it coming.\n“I just saw it come across the TV,” Packers wide receiver Koren Robinson said, when reached on his cell phone by the AP.\nThompson and McCarthy insisted it was clear the team wanted Favre back.\n“How could you not want Brett Favre’s career to continue,” McCarthy said.\nHowever, Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, said, “Nobody pushed Brett Favre out the door, but then nobody encouraged him not to go out that door, either.” He spoke to the AP by phone from his Hattiesburg, Miss., office.\nThompson and McCarthy also said the Packers’ lack of interest in wide receiver Randy Moss – a player Favre publicly lobbied the Packers to sign last offseason but re-signed with the New England Patriots – wasn’t a factor.\nEven without Moss, Favre provided plenty of fireworks last season. He experienced a career resurgence, leading the Packers back to the playoffs.\nAnd he broke Dan Marino’s career records for most touchdown passes and most yards passing and John Elway’s record for most career victories by a starting quarterback.\nFormer Packers coach Mike Sherman, now the head coach at Texas A&M, said he always figured Favre would go out with more fanfare.\n“I always envisioned his teammates carrying him off the field – and his arm falling off as he left,” Sherman said.