Favre cool on retirement talk

Brett Favre appears to have learned his lesson about sounding the retirement alarm too quickly. With three days remaining before the New York Jets' regular-season finale, Favre was non-committal when asked about his future plans "I didn't think I'd be here to begin with after everything that had taken place during the off-season," Favre said.

"There's still one game left. Do I see myself playing here next year? I didn't see myself playing here this time last year. "There are some things that the team probably needs to think about as far as next year's concerned and some things that I need to think about and we need to discuss amongst ourselves. "It's way premature to think about that when we have the Dolphins coming in. I have no idea."

Favre announced his retirement last March, only to change his mind a few months later, which led to a messy divorce from the Green Bay Packers and a subsequent trade to the Jets. Through the first three-quarters of the season, it looked like a perfect marriage as the Jets roared into first place in the AFC East in the wake of a five-game winning streak. But Favre and the Jets have come crashing down in the past month, losing three of their past four games to lose their stranglehold on the division lead.

New York (9-6) must beat Miami (10-5) on Sunday and hope for New England (10-5) to lose at Buffalo to claim the AFC East title. "I'm disappointed, as everyone else in this building is disappointed," Favre said. "The opportunities that were presented to us, we couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. I'm disappointed because we didn't capitalise on that, as our fans are, and as everyone else is."

Favre has struggled mightily in the last four games, throwing one touchdown pass and six of his league-high 19 interceptions while failing to compile a quarterback rating above 61.4. The NFL's all-time leader in a number of passing categories, Favre has hinted his health - particularly his right shoulder - could be a factor in his future as he prepares to make a record 269th consecutive start. "I'm sure if we MRI'd enough, we'd probably find something," Favre said. "During the course of the year, there were numerous times where I had been asked about my shoulder.

"It had been hit a couple times. I don't know. Just knowing my body, there may be something, but there's no test yet to reveal anything." The Jets head coach Eric Mangini said there is no question he wants Favre to return, but realises it will be a personal decision. "Those conversations, we really haven't touched on that much and I wouldn't," Mangini said. "I understand that's a decision that he has to make, and he needs some time whenever that happens to think that through, talk with his wife and his family.

"All of those elements go into it. I'm really not looking to have that conversation anywhere in the near future, but am comfortable with him going through that process." * With Agencies