Favre said his right shoulder felt "progressively worse" physically as the 2008 season went on, and that's why the Jets quarterback announced his retirement Wednesday.

"Physically, if I felt better," he said on a conference call, "we may not be having this conversation, but more than anything that's the writing on the wall."

Favre said he will not waver from his decision the way he did in 2008, when he came back after announcing his retirement in March. He eventually was traded to the Jets on Aug. 6, 2008.

"It's been a wonderful career," he said. "I couldn't have asked for anything more. It's time to leave."

Favre was diagnosed with a torn right biceps tendon after the season, and was told he could have arthroscopic surgery to fix it, or let it heal on its own.

"At 39," he said, surgery "is something I'm not prepared to risk. (The condition) wasn't going to change two months from now. I'd probably have the same doubts or questions and that's not the way I want to play."

Favre said he first noticed some fatigue in his shoulder during training camp, but that it wasn't a major problem, although he had to ice his arm sometimes after practices, something he had never done before in training camp.

It became a problem later in the season, he said, to the point that he had a cortisone injection after a 24-14 loss at San Francisco on Dec. 7. He said his arm briefly felt better, but the feeling didn't last.

Favre's performance declined sharply in the final five games of the season, as he threw two touchdown passes and nine interceptions while the Jets went 1-4.

In a 13-3 loss in a snowstorm at Seattle on Dec. 21, Favre said he underthrew numerous passes.

"I threw it and it didn't end up where I wanted it to," he said. "That was an eye-opener."

"With Brett right from the beginning, it was always a possibility that he wouldn't play the second year," owner Woody Johnson said. "We were hoping to get one good year out of Brett Favre, and we acquired him based on our opinion and him giving us the best chance to win last season. We were disappointed not to have made the Super Bowl, but we did some very good things with Brett."

Of course, the Jets didn't even make the playoffs, as Favre's slump down the stretch was one of the major factors in the Jets' collapse after an 8-3 start.

The Jets officially placed Favre on the NFL's reserve/retired list. Favre had 22 touchdown passes and 22 interceptions in 2008, his lone season with the Jets, and had 464 touchdown passes and 310 interceptions for his career, the most in the NFL in both categories.

Favre made it clear that the Jets didn't coerce him into retiring, and said he did not ask for his release. He also said he enjoyed his one year with the Jets.

"Did I ever feel like it was home? Probably not," he said, "because of all the years I spent in Green Bay. (But) I truly enjoyed the whole experience. I honestly believe I did everything I could do mentally and physically (in the 2008 season) and with that I'm satisfied. I've had a great career and I'm proud of everything I've done."