The same big offseason question that has loomed over the Green Bay Packers for five years finally has a different answer. Quarterback Brett Favre will retire, several media outlets reported Tuesday, after weeks of speculation that he would return for his 18th NFL season.
Favre's brother, Scott, told the Biloxi, Miss. Sun Herald that the quarterback will retire. The newspaper also reported that Favre has told Packers coach Mike McCarthy that he won't play next season.
Favre's retirement comes on the heels of one of his finest seasons in which he led the young Packers to a 13-3 record and the NFC championship game, losing to the New York Giants in overtime.
Favre ends his career having started an NFL-record 253 consecutive regular-season games -- 275, counting playoff games -- and also ranks first in NFL history in touchdown passes (442), passing yards (61,655), completed passes (5,377) and attempted passes (8,758). He also played in 22 playoff games, including two this January. His biggest postseason win came after the 1996 season, leading the Packers to a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 31.
Favre, 38, was coming off one of his best NFL seasons. He completed a career-high 66.5 percent of his pass attempts with his best passer rating (95.7) in 11 seasons. He rebounded with 28 touchdowns to only 15 interceptions after throwing 18 of each in 2006.
Favre's final win came at home at Lambeau Field in the divisional playoff round. He led the Packers to their best-ever points output in the postseason in a 42-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks and former coach Mike Holmgren.
Favre came to the Packers in the 1992 offseason -- the same in which Holmgren was hired as their coach -- via trade from the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted Favre in the second round (33rd overall) out of Southern Mississippi in '91.
Favre made the Pro Bowl nine times and was named to the NFL's All-Pro team seven times, earning both honors after his fine '07 season. He also was named the league's Most Valuable Player in both '95 and '96.