Brett Favre Apparently Retires Again? We've Heard That One Before

The news today is that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has told team officials that he intends to retire from the NFL for what seems like the hundredth time, but it’s possible that this time he means it.

Of course, no one has heard from Favre himself or his agent directly, so take these rumors with a grain of salt.

Favre, who was due to make $13 million in 2010, has played an NFL record 309 consecutive starts (285 in the regular season) from 1992 to 2009, an incredible streak for a player playing a position where you get hit as often as you do.

However, Favre may have taken one hit too many in what currently stands as his final NFL game, in the NFC title game against New Orleans. The Saints brutally hammered Favre over and over in that game, sometimes illegally, and Favre had to have surgery on his ankle in the offseason from injuries sustained against the Saints.

Favre admitted at the ESPY awards a few weeks ago that his ankle still does not feel right enough to play right now, although most people expected to see the ironman Favre suit up for Minnesota come crunch time.

Favre almost retired following the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons, only to come back for one more year each time.

Is it possible this is just another false start on the retirement rumors and we’ll see number four back out there with the Vikings once the season starts? Maybe. Who really knows other than Favre himself?

For the Vikings sake, I’m sure they’ll be begging him to come back. The Packers and the Jets have proved that life after Favre is pretty great. The Vikings won’t be afforded the luxury of searching for a replacement.

They consciously chose not to go after Donovan McNabb, Mark Bulger, Jason Campbell or any quarterback via the draft because they likely expected Favre to be back. Now they’re caught between a rock and a hard place if the old gunslinger really does hang up the spikes.

As the season draws closer, the drama continues in Minnesota and in the NFL. I know I can't wait for the season to start.