It should surprise no one that there are conflicting reports about a possible Brett Favre return. Why? Because Favre himself has shown great ambivalence on the matter before actually saying he'd retire. It's possible that he's not even sure what he wants to do.

Favre wasn't forced or muscled into making his announcement, but surely he felt a measure of pressure to make a decision before the draft. The Packers still might have drafted Brian Brohm in Round Two, but would they have taken another QB -- LSU's Matt Flynn -- early in Round Seven. Don't scoff at the notion of a wasted seventh-rounder; there have been some pretty good ones (Marques Colston comes to mind quickly) in recent drafts. You know Ted Thompson values all his picks.

Point being, Favre probably felt 85 or 90 percent sure when he made his annoucement, but that percentage might have shifted to 60-40 or perhaps 40-60. It makes sense. His body is healed from the season. He feels good. The weather is getting warm. High school and college teams are starting to crank it up pretty soon, with the pros not far behind. This would be about the time where seasoned athletes start preparing for training camp, mentally and physically.

The loser in this whole deal? Unquestionably, it's Aaron Rodgers. Right when it looked like he was going to get his shot, untrammeled, at becoming the team's starting QB, the shadow emerges again. Rodgers waited a long time to get this crack, and he most likely will be the starting quarterback when the season begins. But a pick here or a few losses there, and the talk will start again: Not will, but should Favre come rescue the team.

Packers fans have to be in an awkward position here. They love No. 4 and will continue to wear his jersey to games and love their hero. But do they want him back? After last season, it would be hard not to want to take the individual and team success in 2007 that Favre helped bring. But the fans also have braced for his retirement for several years, every time he flirted with hanging up the cleats prior to '08. So now that he's gone, one foot out the door or two, do they want him back? Or have they let him go, so to speak?

Do the Packers want him back, for that matter? Hey, I know it's criminal to criticize Favre, un-American even, but his last few playoff games have been bad, very bad. You could see him level off at the end of the season. Sure, he feels like he can play now, but if he's not good in December or January, what does it matter? And I am not sure the team is 100 percent convinced they want him back. It's a theory, but it's one we have to consider.

Favre wouldn't return as a backup. Why would he? It would go against everything he's said about wanting to play and not outliving his expiration date. A clipboard holder he is not. So how would the Packers handle Favre telling them tomorrow, "I am coming back." Would they take him? Would he be anointed the starter? It throws everything into a tizzy.

I think when Favre says all this chatter is rumor, he is right. But the rumors must be coming from somewhere (Bus Cook, you think maybe?) and Favre didn't exactly send out a flat denial that football is on his mind.

Last season was bittersweet for Favre because he had such a strong regular season, but the playoff disappointment will last forever. Had Favre played well and the Packers still lost the game, perhaps the perspective would be different. But he had a bad game, throwing a miserable pick in overtime that reminded many of the playoff loss to the Eagles a few years back. Those are our recent playoff memories of Brett, and you know he thinks about those two more than the jolly 16 regular-season games, plus the snow-touched win over the Seahawks.

We neutral observers don't want Favre to retire and then have second thoughts. We don't want the clean ending to be so messy. It's easy for us to say, "stay down" like you would to a friend who just can't fight anymore, but it's very hard for the guy not to get up and show he has one last bark in him. That's where Favre's at.

For me, his memory is signed, sealed and delivered as a first-ballot, no-questions-asked Hall of Famer who'll go down as one of the best to sling the rock. But he's not my best ever. And he's not many people's best. A heartier playoff record might have helped, and you have to think Favre is on that same wavelength.

An interesting but potentially strange story if this does develop into anything ...