GREEN BAY — Mark Murphy's spring ritual regarding Brett Favre is always the same: Be asked about the iconic quarterback at the NFL Meetings, be asked about him again at the kickoff of the annual Tailgate Tour.

And so it was that the Green Bay Packers president was asked about Favre again Tuesday as he and a half-dozen current and former players departed Lambeau Field for their five-day trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Except this time, unlike his conversation with reporters last month  at The Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes resort in Orlando, Fla., Murphy actually delivered quite the news nugget to reporters before boarding the team bus:

The organization tried to bring Favre back to Lambeau Field for a game last season, but Favre, now the offensive coordinator for Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss., couldn't leave his team while it was on a winning streak.

"It's kind of the same. There's not a lot to report," Murphy told reporters. "We do have ongoing communications with him and I think relations are good. We're hopeful to have him come back soon.

"We wanted to have him come back to a game last year, (but) his team kept winning and winning, so it kind of made of made it tough to find a time where it worked."

Favre helped Oak Grove to the Mississippi Class 6A state championship last season, the school's first state title. He apparently has decided not to return for another season , however.

That would seem to indicate the odds are good that Favre will make his Lambeau return in 2014. The NFL has not yet announced the 2014 regular-season schedule.

At the NFL Meetings, Murphy reaffirmed that the club would retire Favre's No. 4 before the quarterback enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame, presumably on the first ballot in 2016. It's also possible that the Packers could bring him back to Lambeau for a game, then bring him back for a subsequent game for the number retirement.

At the NFL Meetings, Murphy said he believed — based on his conversations with Favre — that Favre is looking forward to returning to Green Bay, where he was the Packers' quarterback from 1992 through 2007 before being traded to the New York Jets in 2008 and returning as a member of the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 and 2010.

"[I've been talking] directly with him. Texting, but some conversations," Murphy said last month. "I think he's excited to come back. It's really just kind of working out the timing."

Jason Wilde  wrote:

Ahhh yes... a new round of Favre discussions... those that still worship him vs those the loath him yet.. and the masses in between. [grin1]

Personally.. I hope it comes to reality soon.. and buries most of the drama still lingering around it.

Originally Posted by: Pack93z 

Just get it done. I was as pissed at Favre as anyone else, but I'm totally over it now. Just like a bad breakup, I'm not going to hold on to something forever (unless there is new stuff happening). What happened happened, both sides had their reasons, and both sides could have handled the situation better. In the end, it all worked out, especially for Packer fans, so who cares? The issue has been more than acknowledged. I think it's time to start integrating Favre back into his home team. He's a very important part of the Packers. I think completed mending the fences would be good for everyone.

Originally Posted by: DoddPower