An NFL source told the State Journal on Wednesday afternoon that Favre — or agent James "Bus" Cook on his behalf — contacted the Packers "within the past few weeks" about returning, and the conversation ended in him asking the club for his release. The Packers refused.

ESPN had reported earlier in the day that Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Packers, citing sources "close to the team and player." The report was from Chris Mortensen, who is close to Favre and Cook. Mortensen was the one who received a voicemail from Favre after his decision to retire became public March 4 — Favre's only remarks until his tearful March 6 news conference.

Favre has communicated his potential desire to coach Mike McCarthy, but talks have not advanced to a substantive stage, a Packers source told Mortensen.

Later in the day, according to a story on SunHerald.com, the Web site of the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald, Favre responded by saying, "It's all rumor." When queried about a possible media frenzy, Favre text messaged, "No reason for it."

The league source, who spoke to the State Journal on the condition of anonymity, wouldn't say why Favre would've asked to be released, but the logical reason he'd have made such a request would be because the team had told him it had moved on with new starter Aaron Rodgers and did not want him back. The Packers also could've been gauging Favre's resolve to see how serious he really is about playing again.

When Mortensen's report broke, Packers cornerback Al Harris was participating in one of several ESPN appearances he was making throughout the day. Asked on "NFL Live" what he knew of Favre's intentions, Harris replied: "I've talked to Brett and I know he has the itch to come back and play. If he will or not, I don't know. But I know he's feeling he wants to play."

Reached later Wednesday by the State Journal, Harris said his last conversation with Favre had been "a while ago."

"Everybody, retired or not, has the itch to play at this time of year," Harris said. "I'm not sure what he's going to do. It's totally up to Brett. If he wants to play, he should play."

Asked if he could picture Favre playing for another team, Harris replied, "I can't (picture that). I don't think he could either. But it could happen."

The Packers placed Favre on the reserve/retired list on April 25 — termed a "procedural" move by general manager Ted Thompson at the time — and continue to hold his rights, which they could trade to another team if Favre wants to come back and is willing to do so with another club.

If Favre is serious about reporting to training camp — the first practice is July 28 — and the Packers are committed to moving on, it would set up a potentially awkward parting of the ways between the franchise and its preeminent star. Favre could demand to be activated from the reserve/retired list, and that would give the Packers three options: Re-activate him, release him or trade him.

The Packers are set to retire Favre's No. 4 at a ceremony at Lambeau Field during the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on "Monday Night Football."

A team source told Mortensen that the Packers "value Brett's legacy, we think he values it, and we'd want to protect that. Brett's a high-quality person and he's not going to push it that far. He'll do the right thing (and stay retired). This was almost predictable, the idea that Brett would get the itch to play as we get closer to the season."

Indeed, Favre did tell David Letterman on CBS-TV's "The Late Show" on April 24 that, as the start of training camp approached, "Something's bound to happen." Asked by Letterman what he meant, Favre smiled before adding, "Butterflies, or I don't know. I don't know. Something's bound to happen."

Packers spokesman Jeff Blumb said McCarthy and Thompson were both on vacation and unavailable for comment.

"The Packers have no reaction," Blumb said when asked for the club's official statement on the report of Favre's desire to play again.

Asked whether Favre contacted the team about returning and then asked for his release, Blumb would neither confirm nor deny it, saying simply, "I don't have any information on that."

Favre's brother, Scott, told WISN-TV in Milwaukee that Favre has been "throwing and running" with the local high school football team in Hattiesburg, Miss., as he has during past offseasons, which would also indicate he's serious about coming back.

"I don't know what he's going to do," Scott Favre said. "It's getting closer to camp time. Who knows? He may be getting that itch."

Scott Favre said he had dinner with his brother on Tuesday night and disputed ESPN's assertion that Favre's family has been "tugging" on him to play.

"I don't know how true that is. Sure, I'd like to see him play again. (But) I haven't told him anything," Scott Favre said. "He knows that we'd like to see him play. But that's up to him. I don't want him to play if he's not happy."

Scott Favre also spoke with WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, and when asked if his brother would play for another team if the Packers wanted to go in another direction, Scott Favre replied, "I don't see why not. I'm sure plenty of other teams would want him. If the Packers decide it's time to move on, it's time for Brett to move on, if that's the case."

Cook downplayed Favre's desire to return to Mortensen, saying, "As far as I know, right now, Brett Favre is retired and until he tells me something different, that's what it is."

Favre has two years remaining on his contract, with a $12 million base salary in 2008 and a $13 million base salary in 2009. He tearfully said at a March 6 news conference that the burden after playing 17 NFL seasons had become too great.

"I expect a lot out of myself and certain things are expected of me within this organization and I tried to live up to those all the time," Favre said that day. "And Brett Favre got hard to live up to.

"There were numerous Saturdays (before) home games where I was here (at Lambeau Field) at 8:30 at night watching film. I had never done that before. It was never enough for me. (My wife) Deanna knows this: After numerous games I would come home and after a couple of hours I had the computer out and I was watching film of the upcoming opponent instead of enjoying the win we just had. At some point, you've got to relax and enjoy and I found myself not enjoying it as much."

At age 38, Favre had a renaissance season in 2007, completing a career-best 66.5 percent of his regular-season passes for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 95.7 passer rating (his best since 1995) while leading the team with the youngest opening-day roster in the NFL to the NFC Championship Game, where the Packers lost in overtime to eventual the Super Bowl XLII-champion New York Giants.

But he wasn't as effective down the stretch — after registering a passer rating of 100 or better in eight of the first 11 games and throwing 22 TD passes versus eight INTS, he had 11 TDs and nine INTs over the final seven games, including two playoff games — and his final NFL pass was intercepted by the Giants cornerback Corey Webster in overtime of the NFC Championship Game, preventing the Packers from reaching their third Super Bowl of the Favre era.

Afterward, there were concerns within the organization about whether Favre, once invincible in cold weather, could still win in adverse conditions. He played poorly in a windy loss at Chicago late in the regular season, and Giants quarterback Eli Manning handled the frigid NFC title game weather much better than his older counterpart.

Following his retirement announcement, Favre publicly mused about a possible comeback on several separate occasions this spring, and in April, the Los Angeles Times reported — and the State Journal confirmed — that Cook had been quietly talking to other NFL teams to gauge their interest if Favre were to return.

Cook denied it, and Favre told Sports Illustrated's Peter King later that week that a comeback was "the last thing I'm thinking about. I have no idea where that came from, but it certainly didn't come from me. I'm happy about my decision and I haven't once said, 'I wonder if I made the wrong decision.' I know it's the right one."

But Favre later backtracked on that, admitting in late April in an ESPN interview that he second-guessed his decision to retire "every day."