PRINT ADS

GREEN BAY — Seventeen years after coming within one draft slot of getting his NFL start in the Big Apple, Brett Favre will most likely finish his illustrious career there as a member of the New York Jets.

A pair of NFL sources confirmed late Wednesday night that the Green Bay Packers had traded the legendary quarterback to the Jets after spending all day going back-and-forth with the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on compensation for the future Hall of Famer signal-caller.

FoxSports.com first reported the deal was done. The team released a statement at 11:26 p.m., saying the club had "reached an agreement" to trade Favre to the Jets and that the terms "are not available at this time."

Although the Packers released a statement confirming the deal, they did not release the terms.

According to the NFL Network, the Packers received a fourth-round pick that would escalate to a third-round pick if Favre plays 50 percent of the Jets' offensive snaps this year; a second-round pick if he plays 70 percent of the Jets' snaps and the team makes the playoffs; and a first-round pick if Favre plays in 80 percent of the snaps and the Jets reach the Super Bowl.

An NFL source also said the trade includes provisions that would prevent the Jets from re-trading Favre to, say, the Minnesota Vikings, who have coveted Favre since he first began contemplating a comeback.

By sending Favre to the Jets, the Packers accomplished their goal of trading Favre not only outside their own division, the NFC North, but out of their conference to a team they won't play in 2008.

The Packers play Sept. 28 at Tampa Bay, but based on the NFL's rotating schedule format, the Packers don't play at the Jets until 2010 and won't play host to the Jets until 2014.

In a joint statement, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy and general manager Ted Thompson said, "Brett has had a long and storied career in Green Bay, and the Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for everything he accomplished on the field and for the impact he made in the state. It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible.

"We respect Brett's decision that he could no longer remain here as a Packer. But there were certain things we were not willing to do because they were not in the best interest of the team. We were not going to release him nor trade him to a team within the division. When Brett ultimately decided that he still wanted to play football, but not in Green Bay, we told him that we would work to find the best solution for all parties involved. We wish Brett and his family well.

"We appreciate the tremendous passion shown by our fans. We, like them, always will see Brett Favre as a Green Bay Packer and our respect for him never will change. Moving forward, we are dedicated to delivering a successful 2008 season for all Packers fans."

Murphy, Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy will hold a press conference Thursday.

A time had not been set as of late Wednesday night.

Thompson did not return a message left on his cell-phone voice mail at 11 p.m., but the sources said the deal was finalized shortly after the Packers' nighttime practice ended around 9 p.m.

Jets owner Woody Johnson released a statement through the team's Web site saying, "I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform. He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible product on the field. Mike Tannenbaum and his football administration staff did a great job of navigating this complex process. I am excited about welcoming Brett, Deanna and their family to the Jets organization."

An organization Favre nearly joined in 1991. Before that draft, then-Jets personnel director Ron Wolf wanted to use the team's first draft pick, No. 34 overall, on a young, wild quarterback from Southern Mississippi — Favre.

But the Atlanta Falcons, picking at No. 33, took Favre first, forcing Wolf and the Jets to settle for Louisville's Browning Nagle, a disappointment.

Wolf then sent a first-round pick to Atlanta in 1992 for Favre only a scant few months after taking over as the Packers' GM.

The rest, as they say, is history — Favre led the once-dominant, then-dormant small-town franchise back to prominence by taking the Packers to the Super Bowl XXXI title while winning an unprecedented (and still unmatched) three NFL MVP awards in 1995, '96 and '97. And now, what had been a 16-year match made in football heaven — before turning ugly over Favre's unretirement — is over.

Favre, 38, announced his retirement at a tearful March 6 after having a renaissance season in 2007, completing a career-best 66.5 percent of his regular-season passes for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 95.7 passer rating (his best since 1995).

He led the team to the NFC Championship Game, where the Packers lost in overtime to eventual the Super Bowl XLII-champion New York Giants.

Once it became clear in the aftermath of Favre's June 20 call to McCarthy that the Packers weren't keen on the idea of him coming back, the wheels were set in motion for a trade.

Favre had been reluctant to talk to the Jets or Buccaneers early in the process, but finally relented after his lengthy heart-to-heart talk with McCarthy on Monday night and Tuesday morning.

After that, Favre talked with Jets head coach Eric Mangini and others in the organization for the first time on Tuesday, as they tried to convince him of a good fit.

Mangini had held off on announcing his starter for the Jets' preseason opener tonight against Cleveland — Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens had topped the depth chart — because the deal was close with Favre.

Pennington, with a $6 million salary, is expected to be released to clear cap room for Favre, whose base salary in 2008 is $12 million.

The NFL Network reported that Favre will fly to New York today, take a helicopter tour of New York City and visit the team's new training complex before joining his teammates in Cleveland.