This is an announcement that has been several years in the making: Brett Favre has decided to retire. In a voicemail to ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen, Favre said, “I know I can still play, but it’s like I told my wife, I’m just tired mentally. I’m just tired.”

Favre’s NFL career spanned 17 years, and is full of records, awards, and amazing performances. He is a three-time NFL MVP, a Super Bowl champion, and a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. Hanging it up now certainly seems like the way to go for the 38-year-old veteran, despite a resurgence in ‘07 that saw him rack up 4,155 passing yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Pack to the NFC title game.

As a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, I’ve seen Favre kill my team more times than I can remember. Nevertheless, it’s impossible to be a football fan and not respect and admire everything that Favre brought to the game.

He will be missed.