WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — This was coming from the moment Brett Favre said he was done and wished he wasn't.
He wasn't going to get away clean, because he was only fooling himself about wanting to get away at all.
But he should stay retired.
If he doesn't, the Green Bay Packers for whom he was such a superstar should tell him to take his job application elsewhere.
And, please, don't even get started on involving the Dolphins. Don't so much as whisper a Jason Taylor-for-Favre trade scenario. Because the Dolphins don't need — and shouldn't want — Favre.
Is he better at 38 than young bucks John Beck or Chad Henne or Josh McCown or anybody else the Dolphins might trot out this season in their endless search for someone to command the quarterback position? Yes. Would he be better than anybody Miami has tried since Dan Marino was great? Almost certainly.
Doesn't matter.
But it's a cinch there are Dolphins fans everywhere salivating at the far-fetched thought that Favre could and should land in South Florida if he:
a) really does come out of retirement, and b) is rejected by the Packers.
It's no surprise, if you believe the latest reports, that Favre already is at least considering un-retirement. He didn't sound all that convincing when he quit in March.
"I will wonder if I made the wrong decision," Favre said at the time.
He said he knew he could still play, but didn't think he wanted to.
Well, he should have stuck around until he was sure.
The truth is that Favre probably could lead the Dolphins to a couple of wins this season that they wouldn't get without him. He also would be a terrific teacher to a protege such as Beck or Henne.
But what Favre wouldn't do is push the Dolphins along a course to the future. They need to go through whatever it is they're going to go through on the climb back from 1-15, and they need to do it on their own.
Favre would interrupt the timeline.
The Dolphins didn't need Marino anymore, either, when it was past time for him to go. A 62-7 playoff embarrassment at the very end was unnecessarily cruel for someone as beloved as Marino, and it appears the Packers want to keep their distance from Favre since they hoped an amicable separation agreement had been reached.
The official comment is that "the Packers have no reaction" to the news that Favre apparently wants to come back.
That's icily intelligent.
The Dolphins and any other woebegone team to which Favre might turn should take note. Perhaps a franchise considering itself a decent quarterback removed from championship form would be smart to study Favre, but he still would represent a significant gamble.
If the Packers are ready and more than willing to move ahead with Aaron Rodgers, not Favre, as their quarterback, then the Dolphins shouldn't give obtaining the legend the slightest consideration.
But it'll make for interesting fodder in several NFL precincts — Miami among them — should Favre push for reinstatement and the Packers refuse him. He's under contract through 2010 at an average annual salary of $13 million, and the Packers could be forced to release Favre if he does make an official request to come back only to be rebuffed by Green Bay.
Favre's only response on the matter has been a text message to a Biloxi, Miss., newspaper reporter stating that the entire episode is "all rumor" with "no reason" for consideration.
Anyone see an outright denial in there? Anyone see an I'm-not-coming-back declaration in there? Anyone see a rumor quashed?
Miami ought to make its lack of interest in Favre immediately and abundantly clear. The Dolphins don't need the distraction that speculation regarding Favre would produce.
The Dolphins said good-bye to Marino after he gave them a wonderful career.
They certainly shouldn't say hello to Favre after he gave the Packers the same thing.
Greg Stoda writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail: gstoda AT pbpost.com