(Image source: Seattle Weekly)

BY: NICK GERHARDT AND TOM MARTIN

ANCHOR: AUSTIN KIM

You're watching multisource sports news analysis from Newsy.

Say it isn’t so -- Brett Favre is back in the headlines -- but this time, it’s not his fault. With no impetus from the retiree, the media has pushed his name back into the spotlight.

Howard Eskin of Philadelphia’s WCAU started us off.

“Now hold on and get ready for what move could come afterwards with that trade: I have been told by multiple sources the Eagles have ‘interest’ in Brett Favre. Now read my lips: I said Brett Favre. I was told when I asked about Brett Favre being an Eagle, and I quote, it’s possible.”

But Eskin isn't the only one driving the Favre hype machine. Riding shotgun is Eagles quarterback Michael Vick. He added fuel to the fire via Twitter:

“‘I would be honored to have Brett Farve [sic] as a backup. That will be amazing learning how to toy with defenses the way he did his whole career.’ Vick’s tweet was deleted shortly after it was posted. Much like Brett Favre’s retirements seem to get deleted after they are posted.”

So why delete the post? Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer:

“Perhaps Vick simply realized that endorsing Favre to Philadelphia was imprudent. [Backup quarterback Kevin] Kolb is still an Eagle, even though a likely trade to Arizona once the lockout is over and free agency opens has become one of the worst-kept secrets in the NFL.”

Imprudent indeed -- before Monday morning, Favre’s camp stayed silent on all topics football. That changed when agent Bus Cook called The Clarion Ledger to set the record straight.

“Brett Favre retired in January. He has not talked to any teams, including … the Philadelphia Eagles. He has not talked to anyone about playing football. He’s retired, period.”

Of course -- Favre has been retired, period, before -- but this time, he gave no indication to the contrary. As Ray Ratto writes for CBS Sports, the media went for the content hail mary--and fumbled with a well-worn story.

“…Of all the possible story lines to open the new era with, we got an old, hairy, bloated one that frankly we should have been done with long ago. … We screamed and howled and raged over a lockout that cost no games, and this is what we come back with: Brett Favre … That's just not acceptable.”

Amidst the rumors and speculation, Favre himself has yet to offer comment. He’s busy tutoring Vikings quarterback Joe Webb, who recently said of Favre -quote “He can still sling it.”

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