KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- Brett Favre's decision on whether to retire or return to the Green Bay Packers for an 18th season is still "probably a couple of weeks away," says coach Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy, who signed a new five-year contract with the Packers on Tuesday, says he talks with his quarterback weekly and intends to talk with him in the next few days, but that he doesn't anticipate an answer, and isn't worried about it dragging out.
"It would be a different team because you're talking about a guy that's led the football team for 17 years," said McCarthy, who's in Hawaii coaching the NFC team in the Pro Bowl. "But it's a change that's inevitable. His career will go down as one of the greatest in the history of the National Football League. It's going to change and we're prepared for that with the progress of Aaron Rodgers."
Rodgers showed great progress in his third NFL season. He played a good portion of the Week 13 loss at Dallas when Favre got injured, performing at a high level and keeping the Packers in the game to the end.
Still, the Packers would like to hold off on the start of the Aaron Rodgers era for at least one more season.
"I hope (Favre returns), I just don't know if he will," tackle Chad Clifton said. "When you take away someone who's been there 17 years and is the face of the team ... but we don't want to think about that. We just keep our hopes up that he's coming back."
Favre was voted to his ninth Pro Bowl this year but declined the offer and instead headed home to Hattiesburg, Miss., to spend time with his family and contemplate his future. He was replaced by Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia.
