Favre saga over as QB gets fresh start with Jets

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Brett Favre's journey from retirement and back has ended in New York.

The Green Bay Packers traded their three-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback to the Jets on Wednesday, ending an emotionally grinding month of indecision over Favre's future.

The move ends a remarkably ugly split between Green Bay and one of its most beloved players, allows the Packers to move forward with new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and gives Favre a fresh start - although not exactly the one he wanted, as Favre's first choice was widely believed to be the Minnesota Vikings.

Favre was scheduled to leave Hattiesburg, Miss., Thursday morning and the Jets said he would be at a 6 p.m. EDT news conference in Cleveland, where New York plays the Browns in a preseason game later Thursday.

According to NFL.com, the Packers will receive a fourth-round draft pick in 2009. The selection would turn into a third-rounder if Favre plays in 50 percent of the plays this season, a second-rounder if he plays in 70 percent and the Jets make the playoffs, or a first-round pick if he plays in 80 percent and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl.

"I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform," said Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson in a statement issued early Thursday. "He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible team on the field."

Green Bay had been talking with the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers since deciding earlier this week that they could no longer coexist with Favre.

The Packers decided to move forward with Rodgers after Favre retired in March. Given their commitment to Rodgers, team officials weren't particularly receptive when Favre decided just over a month ago that he might want to play after all - the latest development in several years' worth of flip-flopping about his football future.

The agreement was first reported by Fox Sports on its Web site.

"We just felt like this was an opportunity to go get somebody of Brett's stature and what he's accomplished," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said during a conference call early Thursday morning. "We felt it was in the best interest of the team and when the opportunity presented itself, we felt it was the right move for us to make and we went ahead and did it."

A number of fans made it clear throughout training camp that they wanted Favre on the Jets with signs and "Get Brett!" chants. Favre's new No. 4 Jets jersey already was for sale on the team's Web site about an hour after the trade was announced.

Tannenbaum, who said he had a "good" conversation with Favre, wouldn't speculate whether the quarterback will play in New York beyond this season.

"We had discussions with him and his agent, Bus Cook," Tannenbaum said, "and we're going into this and we're going to take this one year at a time and we're excited to have Brett on the team this year."