GREEN BAY, Wis. - After flirting with retirement for years, Brett Favre means it this time. The Green Bay Packers quarterback quit after a 17-season career in which he dazzled fans with his grit, heart and rocket of an arm.
Tuesday's surprise move comes after the 38-year-old three-time MVP set several league records, including most career touchdown passes, in one of his most successful seasons.
Favre's agent, Bus Cook, said the quarterback told him of his decision Monday night.
"Nobody pushed Brett Favre out the door, but then nobody encouraged him not to go out that door, either," Cook told The Associated Press by phone from his Hattiesburg, Miss., office.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson thanked Favre for 16 years of wonderful memories with the team.
"He has had one of the greatest careers in the history of the National Football League, and he is able to walk away from the game on his own terms - not many players are able to do that," Thompson said in a statement.
The team scheduled an afternoon news conference with Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy, and said it was unsure when Favre might address the media.
Favre led the Packers to the NFC championship game in January, but his interception in overtime set up the New York Giants' winning field goal.
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman wondered if Favre's decision was final.
"As the season gets closer, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he changes his mind," said Aikman, a Fox analyst who played 12 years with the Dallas Cowboys.
The news surprised many.
"I just saw it come across the TV," Packers wide receiver Koren Robinson said, when reached on his cell phone by The Associated Press.
Added Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle: "For 16 years, Brett Favre brought fun and excitement to Lambeau Field. His talent, energy and enthusiasm for the game will be missed."
Last season, Favre 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.
He retires with 5,377 career completions in 8,758 attempts for 61,655 yards, 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions.
"He was the prototypical gun-slinger type," said Marv Levy, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach. "He's the type of guy where, 'Oh, what's he throwing into that crowd for?' But he had intuition, toughness, resilience."
In his final season, Favre also extended his quarterback-record streak of consecutive regular-season starts to 253 games - illustrating his trademark toughness. Add the playoffs, and Favre's streak stands at 275.
In the past several off-seasons, Favre's indecision about his football future became a winter tradition in Wisconsin, with Cheeseheads hanging on his every word.
Unlike after the 2006 season - when Favre choked up in a television interview as he walked off the field in Chicago, only to return once again - nearly everyone assumed he would be back next season.
It was a remarkable turnaround from 2005, Favre's final season under former head coach Mike Sherman, when he threw a career-worst 29 interceptions as the Packers went 4-12.
Surrounded by an underrated group of wide receivers who proved hard to tackle after the catch, Favre had a career-high completion percentage of 66.5. He threw for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions.
Before the Packers' Jan. 12 divisional playoff game against Seattle, Favre told his hometown newspaper that he wasn't approaching the game as if it would be his last and was more optimistic than in years past about returning.
"For the first time in three years, I haven't thought this could be my last game," Favre told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald. "I would like to continue longer."
But Favre finished the season on a sour note, struggling in subzero temperatures in a 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game.
Afterward, Favre was noncommittal on his future. McCarthy said he wanted Favre to take a step back from the season before making a decision.
Now he has - to walk away.
"The Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude," Thompson said. "The uniqueness of Brett Favre his personality, charisma and love of the game - undoubtedly will leave him as one of the enduring figures in NFL history."
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Brett Favre's memorable moments
Here are some memorable moments from Brett Favre's career:
-Sept. 13, 1992, at Tampa Bay. Favre completes his first NFL pass - to himself. A deflected pass lands in Favre's hands, and he is tackled for a seven-yard loss. Favre completes eight of 14 passes for 73 yards.
-Sept. 20, 1992, vs. Cincinnati at Lambeau Field. Replaces injured starter Don Majkowski in the first quarter, and never looks back. Favre leads two scoring drives in the final eight minutes of the game. His 35-yard touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining gives the Packers a come-from-behind 24-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
-Nov. 15, 1992, vs. Philadelphia in Milwaukee. Despite sustaining a first-degree separation of his left shoulder early in the game, Favre leads the Packers to a come-from-behind 27-24 victory. Reggie White, then a defensive end for the Eagles, would later say the toughness Favre showed was a factor in his decision to sign with Green Bay as a free agent in the off-season.
-Jan. 8, 1994, at Detroit. With the Packers trailing 24-21 in the final minute of a Wild Card playoff game, Favre rolls to his left and throws across his body, completing a 40-yard pass to Sterling Sharpe on the other side of the field with 55 seconds remaining to give the Packers a 28-24 victory.
-Oct. 31, 1994, at Chicago. Playing with a severely bruised hip in a driving rainstorm at Soldier Field, Favre rushes for a career-high 58 yards - including a 36-yard touchdown in the second quarter when Favre leaped over a Bears defender - and leads the Packers to a 33-6 victory.
-Dec. 18, 1994, vs. Atlanta in Milwaukee. With the Packers needing a victory to keep their playoff chances alive, Favre's diving nine-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds left gives the Packers a 21-17 victory over the Falcons in the final football game at County Stadium.
-Sept. 11, 1995, at Chicago. Favre throws a 99-yard touchdown pass to Robert Brooks - becoming only the eighth QB in league history to do so - and the Packers beat the Bears 27-24.
-Nov. 12, 1995, vs. Chicago at Lambeau. Playing with a severely sprained left ankle that forced him to the bench in the previous week's game at Minnesota and would eventually require off-season surgery, Favre throws five touchdown passes in a 35-28 victory over the Bears.
-Dec. 24, 1995, vs. Pittsburgh at Lambeau. Favre rolls out and is hit hard by three Steelers defenders, forcing the Packers to call timeout and sending Favre to the sidelines coughing up blood. He returns to throw a one-yard touchdown pass to Mark Chmura on the next play. The Packers' 24-19 victory clinches the division title.
-Jan. 6, 1996, at San Francisco. Favre completes 21 of 28 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers knock the defending Super Bowl champion 49ers out of the playoffs with a 27-17 victory.
-Jan. 4, 1997, vs. San Francisco at Lambeau. Playing in rough weather conditions, Favre completes only 11 of 15 passes for 79 yards, but the Packers roll to a 35-14 playoff victory over the 49ers.
-Jan. 12, 1997, vs. Carolina at Lambeau Field. Favre is 19-of-29 for 292 yards in the Packers' NFC Championship game victory over the Panthers, 30-13.
-Jan. 26, 1997. In Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome, Favre is 14-of-27 for 246 yards and no interceptions to beat the New England Patriots 35-21 - the Packers' first championship in 29 years. Favre throws a 54-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison on his first throw of the game. Later, he throws a Super Bowl-record 81-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman.
-Jan. 11, 1998, at San Francisco. Trudging through the mud in sloppy San Francisco, Favre is 16-of-27 for 222 yards and a touchdown as the Packers beat the 49ers 23-10 to advance to the Super Bowl for the second straight season, where they lose to the Denver Broncos 31-24.
-Dec. 3, 2001, at Jacksonville. Favre throws for 362 yards and three touchdowns, but wins with his feet. Favre's six-yard touchdown run with 1:30 remaining - his first rushing touchdown in three years - gives the Packers a come-from-behind 28-21 victory.
-Nov. 2, 2003, at Minnesota. One game after breaking the thumb on his right hand, Favre throws three touchdowns in a 30-27 victory over the Vikings.
-Dec. 22, 2003, at Oakland. Playing on Monday Night Football the day after his father, Irvin, died, Favre is 22-of-30 for 399 yards and four touchdowns as the Packers beat the Oakland Raiders 41-7.
-Jan. 4, 2004, at Lambeau. Favre throws for 319 yards to get the Packers to overtime, and Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck - Favre's former understudy - proclaims after the coin flip that "We want the ball and we're gonna score!" They don't. Hasselbeck throws an interception that is returned for a touchdown and the Packers win 33-27 in overtime.
-Nov. 14, 2004, vs. Minnesota at Lambeau Field. Favre throws four touchdown passes in a game for the 18th time in his career, but the Vikings rally to tie the game with 1:20 remaining. Favre drives the Packers to a last-second field goal and a 34-31 victory.
-Dec. 31, 2006, at Chicago. Favre throws for 285 yards and a touchdown a 26-7 victory over the Bears, the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFC. Favre gets choked up in a television interview after the game, leading some to believe he had played his final game. But after again mulling retirement, he decides to return.
-Sept. 30, 2007, at Minnesota. Favre throws his record-breaking 421st career touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, breaking Dan Marino's career record in a 23-16 victory.
-Oct. 29, 2007 at Denver. Favre throws an 82-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings on the first play from scrimmage in overtime, leading the Packers to a 19-13 victory.
-Jan. 12, 2008 vs. Seattle at Lambeau. Favre frolics in heavy snow showers, hitting on three touchdown passes - and hitting wide receiver Donald Driver with a snowball in a 42-20 Packers playoff romp.
-Jan. 20, 2008 vs. New York Giants at Lambeau. Aside from a 90-yard touchdown to wide receiver Donald Driver, Favre generally struggles in sub-zero temperatures in the NFC Championship game. His interception in overtime sets up the Giants' game-winning field goal, and the Packers lose 23-20.
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Brett Favre QuickSketch
GREEN BAY, Wis. - A quick look at former Green Packers QB Brett Favre, who has decided to retire from the NFL after 17 seasons:
NAME: Brett Lorenzo Favre.
AGE: 38.
BORN: Oct. 10, 1969, Gulfport, Miss.
RAISED: Kiln, Miss.
RESIDES: Hattiesburg, Miss.
FAMILY: Wife, Deanna; children, Brittany and Breleigh.
COLLEGE: Southern Mississippi.
NFL DEBUT: Atlanta Falcons, Oct. 27, 1991 vs. L.A. Rams.
CAME TO PACKERS: Traded to Packers Feb. 10, 1992, for 17th overall pick in 1992 draft. Falcons trade the pick to Dallas, which selects cornerback Kevin Smith. Falcons acquire two picks from Dallas, selecting running back Tony Smith and cornerback Frankie Smith.
PACKERS CAREER: Favre led the Packers to a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI, the team's first championship in 29 years.
Favre and the Packers returned to the Super Bowl the following season, but lost to the Denver Broncos 31-24.
Favre set several records during the 2007 season, including most career touchdown passes, most career victories by a starting quarterback and most career yards passing.
Favre has started 253 consecutive games, a record for NFL quarterbacks. Including playoff games, the streak stands at 275.
His career has been marked by some off-the-field troubles.
He battled an addiction to painkillers, spending time in the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kan., in 1996. His father, Irvin, died suddenly in December 2003 - and Favre memorably threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a victory over the Raiders the following day.
His wife, Deanna, has survived breast cancer and mourned the death of her brother in an all-terrain vehicle accident. And several members of Favre's family in Mississippi were displaced in the wake of hurricane Katrina.
AWARDS: Favre has won a record three league MVP awards, in 1995, '96 and '97; shared the '97 award with Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders. He is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection.
PERSONAL: Owns a 460-acre ranch in Hattiesburg, Miss. ... Made a cameo appearance in the 1998 hit movie "There's Something About Mary." ... Served as a pallbearer at the funeral for former teammate Reggie White on Dec. 30, 2004. ... Avid golfer and fisherman. ... The Brett Favre Fourward Foundation raises money for disabled or disadvantaged children.