GREEN BAY -- Here's a complete transcript of quarterback Brett Favre's interview with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren Monday night. The second half of the interview is scheduled to air Tuesday night.

(Why did you retire so early?) Well, ah, I'm sure I'm sure that a lot of people out there, of course there's been a lot of things said and this is the first time I've talked, but one of the things that people from what I understand are saying is that Brett retired because the Packers or Ted Thompson didn't ask me back. That's totally untrue. They wanted an answer before free agency-slash-(the)-draft. And Mike McCarthy called every week, after about a two- or three-week grace period after the season, Mike would call, `Hey, how's things going? Where you at with your decision?' (I'd say), `Boy Mike, I'm kind of burned out right now, and I just need some time.' I said, `Boy it'd be nice if I could wait until training camp.' (And McCarthy replied), `Well, we have a different direction we've got to go in. If you're not going to be here, we need to sign someone.' Which is fine. I totally understand that. But I was not ready to totally commit, and the bottom line, I said that in my press conference, regardless of what people think, the bottom line, (on) March 3, when I got in front of the podium, did I want to play? Yes. One hundred percent? No.

I think people who have followed my career, I think people who know me closely (will tell you), I won't play if I'm not 100 percent committed. I could've easily said, `You know what? I'll take the money, I'll come back, and hopefully I'll get committed somewhere either before training camp, during training camp or during the season. No one will know.' But that's not me. So on March 3, when I got in front of the podium, I was not ... and one of the things I said, Greta, was, `I know I can play, but at this time, I don't think I want to.' And sort of left the door open.

They wanted an answer. Am I mad at them for that? No. And I think that's what needs to be cleared up. That, hey, you wanted an answer? I gave you the honest answer at that time. As opposed to lying to you and saying, `Oh yeah, I'll come back,' and giving you not what's expected of me, and that's 100 percent effort.

(After the early March press conference, it was an emotional time for you. I take it you liked being a Packer.) I can't envision being with anyone else, or haven't envisioned being with anyone else. That has always been my focus, as I said then, I will say now, really as I've said my whole career: Playing in Green Bay, and you're from up there, there is nothing like it. There is nothing like it. And it's one of those things, it was destiny. A kid from South Mississippi, a lot like Bart Starr, who would've ever thought I would go to Green Bay and have the career I had. And it's unfortunate that it has come to this. And I'm sure there's a lot of fans out there thinking from what they've heard, that, `Brett is a traitor, he wants to play elsewhere.' That's not true. I was told that playing in Green Bay was not an option. Regardless of what you hear from up there. I'm not making it up. I was told that playing in Green Bay was not an option.

Then, I was told, `We can't envision you playing with another team' as well. What does that tell me? That, `We don't want you playing, period.'

(Have you signed any official papers saying you're retired) No I have not signed any official papers.

(And they know the back and forth, you're not 100 percent certain, this has happened in prior years on a much more moderate scale, so this is no great surprise to them that you have second thoughts at this point.) No, it's not a surprise, and you know, I understand how the public is like, "You know, make up your mind already.' But, there's no way I can expect them to understand what I'm going through.

(What are you going through?) To be totally honest with you, and to simplify it as easy as I can, and I think if you were to poll players who've played as long as me or almost as long as me, if you said, `Come March, whether your intentions are to come back or your wishy-washy or whatever, in March, are you committed one way or the other?' They're going to tell you no.

(Did you talk to Coach McCarthy?) "I talked to him on June 20th, that was it."

(And talked about what?) "Well, it was small talk for a while, and I said, Mike, I'm thinking about coming back. I've been working out up at the high school, I said that was a big hurdle for me to get over, don't want to get up and go up there and run and throw, which I did that this morning. And I feel good. And I said, I have to admit, I'm thinking about it. I just want your take on it. If I'm going to play, it's going to be in Green Bay. But I need to find out what their take is. And I can just see him, he's, oh, Brett, we've moved on. And I said, moved on? Yeah, we've moved on. I had to tell the team something, you know what I mean? You told me you were not 100 percent committed, back not only when you retired, but several weeks before, I mean after, when we were talking about coming down there, which we did have that conversation, you said you were not 100 percent committed.I said you're right, you're absolutely right. And it was a good conversation, and we've always had good communication, the two of us. And I said you're right, I totally agree. i was not 100 percent committed. And I said, but you guys wanted an answer in March, and I gave you the honest answer. I said had I been able to wait until training camp, that would have been great. He said, well, why didn't you tell me that. We would have let you do it. And I thought to myself, well, you told me before the draft and free agency, and they ended up drafting two kids in the draft, so that kind of tells you."

(They drafted two quarterbacks?) "Two quarterbacks. And once again, that's OK. That's fine. All I was asking June 20th is OK, you guys have a different path, fine. WHat does that mean for me? So that means either you give me my helmet, welcome back, or release me, or attemt to trade me. We all know that's a possibility, but way-out-there possibility. And he says, well, playing here is not an option, but we can't envision you playing with anther team, you know, either. And I thought, so basically, I'm not playing for anyone if I choose to come back."

"And I understand, I'm guilty of one thing and that's retiring early and I have an answer for that. And have spoken that. And I knew that I'd have second thoughts and I think Mike even has made the comment that you know, I knew Brett would go through this. I knew he would have second thoughts. Well, I am. And you're telling me playing there is not an option, but playing elsewhere, we just can't. We're trying to protect your legacy. Well, thank you, I appreciate that. But apparently now, they're trying to protect my legacy by bringing me back and having me be a backup. Boy, that is really good."

"Yep. I've been pretty fortunate, aside from 38, during this whole ordeal especially on the June 20th conversation I was talking about coming back, Mike was like, you know, I was in Kansas City, we traded for Joe Montana and he wasn't the same, and you've got to worry about that. And I don't disagree. I think Joe went there and played quite well. And believe me, I've thought of all those things. And when they sent James Campen down here to, hey, you've got to think about moving your family to another city, are you well aware of what that means? And the fan reaction, there's going to be some people calling you a traitor? Yeah. And you know, the bottom line is, I may not play anywhere. But we have thought of all those things. We have thought about it."

(The Packers management is worried about you) "I appreciate them thinking about me, yeah."

"I would hope so. And I keep going back and talking to people. I am guilty of retiring early, and there is a reason for that. And there's been, the major issues are why did he retire, and he asked for his release because he doesn't want to play in Green Bay. That's not true. And I hope that the people are hearing this and go, OK, that clears it up. Because there's going to be some people who say, so what. And once again, them moving on does not bother me. It does. I totally understand that. By me retiring March 3, I knew that could possibly happen. All I was saying is yeah, I'm thinking about playing again, the itch has been used, that word has been used, if you want to say itch, the fire is coming back or whatever. If I'm going to play, it's going to be 100 percent commitment, and it's not going to be in March. So if you've moved on, you tell me one thing, don't come back and tell the public, just say it, we've moved on and we'll work with Brett on whatever it is. Don't make up a lot of stuff or give half of the truth. ... I mean, it's ridiculous, it really is."