Quarterback Brett Favre has instructed his agent to inform the Jets today he plans to retire after 18 years in the league, including one up-and-down season with the New York Jets.
"Mike (Tannanbaum) and Woody (Johnson), as well as the entire organization, have been nothing short of outstanding. My Teammates Thomas (Jones) and Kerry (Rhodes) included - were a pleasure to play with. Eric (Mangini) could not have been any better," Favre said in an e-mail to ESPN's Ed Werder.
Favre led the Packers to two Super Bowls in the 1990s, winning in 1997. After an acrimonious separation from the Packers in 2008, the three-time MVP first retired a year ago in a tearful press conference in Green Bay.
But he quickly unretired when the Jets came calling. Favre brought renewed excitement to the franchise and led the team to an 8-3 start, only to disappoint fans with four losses in his final five games as New York narrowly missed the playoffs.
Favre's poor performance down the stretch led to heavy criticism and reports of friction within the locker room. Throughout his long career in Green Bay, Favre had been beloved by the sports media. But his inability transcend the daily sniping in New York tabloids and rally the Jets made for an ignominious end to his career.
