The Green Bay Packers have said no to Brett Favre's request for a release.

General manager Ted Thompson said Saturday that the team will not honour Favre's request, another indication that the relationship between the parties is growing further strained.

The Packers did say that the former quarterback could rejoin the team as a backup to Aaron Rodgers. However, Favre had asked for a release, which would give him the opportunity to sign with another team if he decides to come out of retirement.

"Favre's welcomed back, but the scenery has changed," Thompson said. "There may be a different role. He becomes an active member of the roster, and then we'll see how it goes from there. We don't have the answers right now, because it hasn't happened, and we don't know that it will."

Favre's request came three days after a conference call with team officials in which the future Hall of Fame quarterback emphatically expressed his desire to play in 2008. On March 5, he announced he retirement during a tear-filled press conference.

"We understand this is a very volatile, sensitive thing," Thompson added. "Fans are unbelievably passionate about this team and passionate about Brett Favre. We understand that, and we're going to try to stay steady, consistent, and try to do the right thing for Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers."

The Packers issued a statement Friday afternoon acknowledging Favre's wishes, but ESPN.com reported that they were not receptive about his possible return to the team and wanted "to move forward", which prompted Favre's request for a release.

"Brett earned and exercised the right to retire on his terms," the statement read. "We wanted him to return and welcomed him back on more than one occasion.

"Brett's press conference and subsequent conversations in the following weeks illustrated his commitment to retirement. The finality of his decision to retire was accepted by the organisation. At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team."

During Tuesday's conference call, the 38-year-old Favre also said he felt pressured by the team and never was 100% when he decided to retire in March.

I'm so sick of this. The team comes first. When Favre retired he made it SO clear and seem SO final, as the Green Bay Packers you HAVE to move on. And say "We can still be good without him". You get into a mentality that you're on your own now. And for him to come back all of a sudden, I think it would be terrible for the Packers to look at the team and say "We need Brett Favre we're bringing him back and starting him again".

I think it's smart for them to say they'll take him back, but he'll need to win the starting job again. That's only fair. You can't comromise a WHOLE football team and organization for 1 man.

And as 1 man, I'd hate to see him finish his career ANYWHERE else but Green Bay. This is totally on Favre, and it was a big mistake on his part. He's gotta deal wit hthe consequences.

from the packers stand point, sure they should take him back, but as a back up to further the education for Rodgers and as someone who could lead the team if Rodgers falters, but really it should be Rodgers job no matter what to start the season. If this does not work for the packers, then trade him. Trust me you can get something of value for Favre from a quaterback hungry team like the Vikings, Bears, 49ers, Lions.

I completely agree, but that's the thing, Favre doesn't WANT to be backup. He WANTS to play, so he wants out of Green Bay. And I think that's dumb. He's gotta understand that the team comes before he does.

And yes Packers will definitely have to trade him, it's just too bad that he doesn't finish his career in Green Bay.

i really want to see him finish his career in Green Bay, i think thats only fitting. But at this current pace of how things are going, the best things for the packers as an organization are to move on, and that can only happen really with a trade.

It annoys me to see Brett acting so selfishly.

As an aside..I wonder what more he wants. He has everything. The all-time leader in just about every passing category, even yards. 3(?) superbowl rings, and the only one to have 2(correct me here) superbowl MVPs. Maybe he is inflicted with JRS: Jerry Rice Syndrome. I.E. don't know when to quit.