OPINION

By Dennis Dillon

updated 3:47 p.m. ET Feb. 11, 2009

The quarterback who cried retirement has struck again.

Brett Favre, who during a tearful press conference 11 months ago in Green Bay announced he was exiting the NFL, reportedly is leaving again. Favre has instructed his agent, Bus Cook, to inform the Jets that he plans to retire, according to ESPN.com.

Pardon me for being skeptical, but I can't help wondering if there's a hidden agenda here. Is Favre, 39, really hanging it up this time? Or is he clearing a path for a return with another team -- like, for instance, the Vikings?

Surely you haven't forgotten the hostage situation in Green Bay last summer. After changing his mind and deciding he wanted to return for the 2008 season, the passively aggressive Favre threatened to disrupt the Packers' training camp by just showing up. When that didn't materialize, he tried to force the Packers to release him or deal him to the NFC North rival Vikings. Eventually, Green Bay traded him to the Jets.

What should have been the grand finale of a Hall of Fame career finished with a dud.
Favre extended his NFL record of consecutive starts to 269 (291, including playoffs), threw 22 touchdown passes and helped the Jets to an 8-3 record by Thanksgiving.

But Favre and the Jets pulled up lame in the stretch. Favre was intercepted a league-high 22 times, had a horrible December (two TD passes, eight picks), and the Jets lost four of their final five games and missed the playoffs.

The Jets have a new head coach -- former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan replaced Eric Mangini -- and now it looks like they'll have a new quarterback.

With Favre's departure, there is a glaring lack of experience at the position.

Kellen Clemens is a three-year veteran who split the starting duties with Chad Pennington in 2007. But he has started only eight games and has thrown just 256 passes. Neither Brett Ratliff, a two-year vet, nor Erik Ainge, a rookie last year, has thrown a pass in a regular-season game.

The feeling in some corners is that Ratliff could be the Jets' quarterback of the future. But he probably won't be ready in 2009. To bridge the gap, the team probably will sign a free agent, such as Jeff Garcia or Byron Leftwich.

Favre joins Vikings AP file   Video: Vikings are ‘the perfect fit,’ Favre says   Video: ‘I didn’t want to say ‘What if’ ’ Curran: Win-win for Favre and Vikings Celizic: Worst flip-flopper in sports history Newsweek: Let's give Favre a break Live vote: How will Vikings do with Favre Live vote: Does this hurt Favre's legacy? Packers not shocked by Favre's move   Slide show: Tracking QBs who couldn't quit Timeline of Favre's career  |    Slide show Fantasy impact: Favre not a huge get Vote: Top star in Minnesota sports history?

The Jets had been strapped for salary-cap space. But Favre's retirement will save them $13 million.

So what will happen to Favre? Does he head home to Mississippi and spend the rest of his life riding his tractor, hunting for deer and playing golf?

That's what it looked like he would do the last time he announced he was retiring. And we saw how that turned out.

In a sense, Favre has had a symmetrical football career. He played 16 years in Green Bay, sandwiched between a beginning bookend year in Atlanta and a finishing bookend year in New York.

What does he have left to accomplish?

Slideshow   Week in Sports Pictures The Saints triumph in the Super Bowl, Olympians work on final preparations for Vancouver, and more. more photos

He is a three-time NFL most valuable player. He went to two Super Bowls and won one. He owns numerous NFL passing records, and he certainly will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

But somehow, I can't help but think we haven't seen the last of Brett Favre. I get the feeling he's not ready to close the book on his football career. Don't be surprised if he comes back for a 19th season.

After all, there's no limit on the number of times he can retire.

Also on NBCSports.com Rosenthal: Saints win with aggressive ‘ambush’ Trash Talk: How will Manning rebound from loss? NBA: ProBasketballTalk is here! Check out new blog NCAA BK: Who's in, who's out? Updated bracket projections Twitter: Follow us @nbc_sports

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