If Brett Favre Wants To Keep His Legacy Intact, He Should Remain Retired

Brett Favre proved he still had it in him.

He made his point, and now it's time to hang it up for good.

The longer Favre waffles about a possible return to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, the more his legacy will be tarnished. Nobody faulted Favre for wanting to come back to the Green Bay Packers last season a few months after announcing his retirement. When Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy told Favre he would not be welcome back, people still wanted to see No. 4 play.

He went to the New York Jets and had a phenomenal start to the season, including tossing a career-high six touchdown passes in one game. When the Jets were 8-3, people were talking Super Bowl in the Big Apple.

Then came a shoulder injury and a late-season collapse.

When the season ended, Favre finished with a league-high 22 interceptions.

Throwing the ball to the other team has been part of Favre's game his entire career—after all, he is the league's all-time leader in interceptions thrown. But, for all the games he lost via the pick, he won more. He is the NFL's career leader in yards, touchdowns, pass completions, and attempts. He has three MVP awards and has been to two Super Bowls, winning one in 1997.

For all of his greatness, a second "un-retirement" to play for the Vikings will cast a shadow on all of his accomplishments. He will be regarded as petty and spiteful. Even the majority of Vikings fans don't want him on their team because the perception is he wants to come back for selfish reasons—to beat the Packers twice and show up Thompson and McCarthy.

That's not why you come back to play. The best thing for Brett Favre to do is relax and enjoy time in Mississippi with his family. Cut the grass, go fishing, heck, put that degree from Southern Mississippi to use and sub as a special education teacher in Hattiesburg.

But don't come back to play football. Go out as the legend you are, and be remembered for your greatness, not for your contempt.