Favre: "I know I can play, but I don't think I want to."

It was an emotional scene. About 20 seconds or so into his retirement press conference the finality of it all finally hit Brett Favre. "I promised I wouldn't get emotional...it's never easy...you know, it's funny, I've watched hundreds of players retire, and you wonder what that would be like...you think you're prepared ...," Favre said haltingly. At points, he couldn't speak, he was so taken with the emotion of it. At times, tears streamed down his face. "I'd like to thank the Packers, for giving me the opportunity as well. I hope that every penny...I hope that every penny that they've spent on me, they know was money well-spent." I don't think there's any question about that, Brett.

The bottom line was summed up in this statement: "I've given everything I possibly can give to this organization, to the game of football, and I don't think I've got anything left to give, and that's it."

Brett had lots of thanks to give out. As for the fans? This part of his speech we should all hold dear: "I can't leave without saying thank you to the fans. When I laughed and when my family laughed, they laughed. When I cried, they cried. When I cheered, they cheered. When I threw an interception, well, you know. But it was a perfect fit for me. Little ol' Southern Miss, southern boy from Hancock County who had big dreams, no different than any other kid, to play here, and there's no better place to play. I had a conversation with Ron Wolf yesterday, and we had that discussion. To be thought of as one of the best players to play in this league, and to be mentioned within an organization that has players like Reggie White and Bart Starr and Paul Hornung and Willie Davis and Willie Wood and Herb Adderley and Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke, Vince Lombardi. To be mentioned with those people, ... I'm honored. Really ... I am honored. I hope everyone knows how special this is and I truly appreciate the opportunity, and as they say all good things must come ... come to an end."

Brett admitted to finally watching TV last night and seeing some of the coverage of him. He said now he knows "what it's like when you die." In typical Brett fashion, he was bemused by that.

One Milwaukee sports reporter, who said he was in the back of the room in which the press conference was held, said even some of the most hard-bitten reporters in that room were holding back tears. Brett has always been a man everyone could relate to, in good times and bad. Today was a sad one, for sure. But it was also one where Brett seemed to be at peace with the decision. He also said he knows exactly what he's going to do next: "nothing." He's earned it.

Thanks, Brett..."4" Everything.

You can read the entire transcript of the retirement speech here.