Favre says Jets called about return

It sounds as if somebody isn't being completely forthcoming about what really happened between the New York Jets and Brett Favre in the spring of 2009.

Favre, who had retired after spending the 2008 season with the Jets, told New York reporters Thursday during a conference call that he talked to owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan just before the Jets traded up to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.

"They asked if I wanted to come back," said Favre, who will lead the Vikings into the New Meadowlands Stadium to play the Jets on Monday night. "I was like, 'I don't want to go though surgery and all that stuff.'"

Favre had struggled near the end of his season with New York because of a partially torn biceps tendon in his throwing arm. Eventually, he did get the biceps repaired and came out of retirement to join the Vikings in late August of 2009.

While Favre seems to think the Jets might have wanted him back, Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.com points out the team's brass has a slightly different version of things. In fact, Ryan said he had zero contact with Favre after Feb. 11. That was the day Favre announced he was done playing.

"Don't kid yourself, I would've tried to recruit him if we were unsuccessful in getting Mark," Ryan told Cimini. "I did not actively recruit him. Trust me, if I had tried to recruit him, he would've known. He would've had to kick me off the porch. I would've given him my A game, not a D game."

Shortly after the Jets drafted Sanchez they released Favre from their reserve/retired list.

"To me it was a successful year," Favre said Thursday during his weekly news conference with the Twin Cities media. "It's easy to make excuses, it's easy to say, 'What if. Would've, could've, should've.' But I take a lot of the blame for the fall at the end. That's OK. I was injured, there's no question my accuracy, velocity made a big difference in the passing game in the latter part."

Favre has said this before but admits there was talk given to ending his NFL record consecutive games streak that now stands at 289.

"In hindsight I look back and you think maybe I should've sat and it was discussed," Favre said. "But I wanted to finish the job that we started. We started off great, almost too good. It was a tough but it was a fun year, really, really enjoyed the players. Tannenbaum and I have remained friends.