"We expected this," Jets tight end Chris Baker told me Wednesday during an interview on Sirius NFL Radio. "We talked throughout the year a few times and he would say (about the future), 'I don't know.' When Michael Jordan retired for the first time, that was a shocker."

Jordan, too, returned from retirement just like Favre did in 2008. The only lingering question after Wednesday's announcement is whether we can really believe that Favre is gone from football for good.

We shouldn't — at least not for a while.

Let's flash back 11 months and remember how Favre's 16 seasons in Green Bay ended. Favre feels unloved. Favre quits with a tear-filled goodbye. Favre then changes his mind several times in the following weeks before ultimately deciding he wants to play again, leading to his trade to the Jets.

During a week in which Alex Rodriguez proved himself a liar about steroid use, it's hard for sports fans to take any athlete's claims too seriously anymore — especially one who's previously backtracked as much as Favre.

If you're Green Bay, don't make immediate plans to retire Favre's jersey again like in the 2008 season opener. You risk him breaking the glass to wear it.

Nobody should be surprised if Favre resurfaces this spring with a renewed love of the game — and eyes on a new destination — once he's had some time to escape the pressure-cooker of offseason demands placed upon him.

Like the Packers at this time last year, the Jets were pushing Favre for an answer about his football future before he may have been ready to give one. There was need for New York to learn his plans quickly. Favre was carrying a $13 million salary cap figure on a Jets team currently projected at $10 million over next season's $123 million limit.

Favre did New York a favor by declaring his intentions now rather than waiting until free agency had begun. Favre's indecisiveness in Green Bay kept the Packers from pursuing a veteran quarterback when the 2008 signing period began.

Jets management and coaches have made all the politically-correct statements about whether they wanted Favre to return. But let's be honest: It wasn't like there was an impassioned outcry from his Jets teammates begging for Favre's return. A couple — notably running back Thomas Jones and safety Kerry Rhodes — even took subtle digs at Favre after New York's disastrous 1-4 finish to end 2008.

"A lot of guys enjoyed having him in the locker room," Baker said. "I don't think it was as bad as it seemed when some of the comments came out at the end of the season. Obviously, guys were frustrated by the turnovers and interceptions, but that's part of the game.

"Brett has the most touchdowns and most interceptions (in NFL history). That's what you get when you get Brett Favre. Everyone understood that."

Just like everyone should understand if Favre gets cold feet down the road about retiring.

Green Bay Packers News News » We'll believe Favre's done when we see it 2009-02-11
We'll believe Favre's done when we see it 2009-02-11
Brett Favre retired Wednesday. Yawn. Not to minimize the departure of one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks and most popular players. But ever since the regular season ended, it was always a matter of when rather than if Favre would walk away from the New York Jets in 2009. Farewell, Favre