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Favre Asks Packers To Release Him

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 12, 2008

Brett Favre asked the Packers to release him so he can return to the NFL with another team after apparently being told his latest retirement reversal wasn't welcome news in Green Bay.

The team said it would do "what's right" in response to Favre's request, which was first reported by ESPN.

"Brett earned and exercised the right to retire on his terms," the team's statement said.

"We wanted him to return and welcomed him back on more than one occasion. Brett's press conference and subsequent conversations in the following weeks illustrated his commitment to retirement. The finality of his decision to retire was accepted by the organization. At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team."

The 38-year-old Favre retired March 6 after a 17-year career, but almost immediately began dropping hints that he was having second thoughts.

The Packers' statement said Favre now has the right to petition NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to be reinstated, at which point he would return to the team's active roster.

But the statement did not specify what the Packers would do after that, beyond doing "what's right and in the best interest of the team."

If the team has committed to moving forward without Favre, their options once he was reinstated would include trading him to another team or releasing him so he would be free to sign with the team of his choice. The Packers already have committed to going with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a first-round pick in 2005 who has been sitting behind Favre for his first three seasons in the NFL.

Releasing Favre presents the possibility that he will sign with NFC North rivals Minnesota or Chicago, where he would be an upgrade over the incumbent QBs. If the Packers traded him, there could be teams outside the division such as Baltimore or Tampa Bay that would be interested.

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