Once news broke that Brett Favre had informed the Packers he'd decided to retire, there was still an element of doubt in the whole thing.
But now that Packers general manager Ted Thompson has said what he said, it looks like it's really a done deal. The fact that Thompson sounded so unequivocal in his acceptance of Favre's decision makes it all the more likely that his career in Green Bay is over.
"He has had one of the greatest careers in the history of the National Football League, and he is able to walk away from the game on his own terms -- not many players are able to do that," Thompson said in a statement.
More Thompson: "The Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude. The uniqueness of Brett Favre his personality, charisma and love of the game -- undoubtedly will leave him as one of the enduring figures in NFL history."
So, why are Thompson's words so important? Here's why: If the Packers wanted to, they could have said nothing, or at least issued only a lukewarm statement that at least left the door open to a possible change of heart from Favre.
But Thompson's statement seemed clear: He had accepted Favre's resignation, and the team is prepared to move on.
Thompson can, of course, change his mind if Favre changes his own mind.
But as the team's top personnel man, Thompson must worry about not only this season, but the seasons to come after that. He needs to get on with the business of running the franchise, and he needed to know in no uncertain terms that Favre is walking away.
His words today make it clear that Thompson is read to move on.