Elaine Thompson / AP

New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre walks along the sidelines during the season-ending defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 21.

updated 8:22 p.m. ET May 8, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS - Is Brett Favre healthy and hungry enough to end his retirement again? And how badly do the Minnesota Vikings want him?

The questions and confusion continued Friday.

ESPN, again citing unnamed sources, reported X-rays of Favre’s injured right shoulder have been sent to the Vikings for evaluation. The network said Favre will play for Minnesota if it’s determined he doesn’t need major surgery. If he does, according to the source, he’ll stay retired.

But Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, told a different ESPN reporter he was unaware of any X-rays being sent to the team. Cook reiterated that the famously fickle quarterback has not told him he wants to come back for a 19th NFL season.

“Brett would have to be mentally ready to go play, physically ready to go play, and want to go play,” Cook told the network, “and I’m not sure all three of those things are there right now.”

Cook is the only central figure in the story who has actually spoken on the record this week. He did not return phone calls Friday from The Associated Press.

Vikings officials were unavailable for comment and have yet to address the drama since Childress acknowledged last week it was likely the team would assess its interest in signing the man who owns most of the league’s major passing records. Favre became a free agent last month when, upon his request, he was formally released from the reserve-retired list by the Jets.

Favre declared his playing days over in February after one season with New York, where he went after forcing a trade from Green Bay when the Packers told him last July it was too late to come back for another year. He’d first retired earlier in 2008.

His health appears to be at the crux of this latest drama — if, indeed, Favre has any interest in returning to the NFL. Considering all the conflicting and inaccurate reports of the last few days, no one can be certain of that.

Favre’s torn biceps tendon has caused pain in his shoulder, part of the reason he struggled down the stretch last season while the Jets missed the playoffs. He threw nine interceptions over the last five games and needed a cortisone injection after one of them. New York went from 8-3 to 9-7.

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