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Packers President: Team Will Eventually Retire No. 4

HACKLEBURG, Ala. (AP) -- Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy said the team will eventually retire Brett Favre's No. 4, but that they want to make sure he's really retired.

"He deserves that for what he did as a Packer," Murphy told fans in Ashland Wednesday during the Tailgate Tour. "There are very few players in our history that had their number retired. He deserves it though. But it's a very, very meaningful honor and we want to do it at a time when it's meaningful for both him and the organization."

The Green Bay Press-Gazette quoted Murphy (http://bit.ly/lbideu ) as saying it would likely be a few years before the ceremony. He said when Favre retired after the 2007 season they planned a ceremony at the opening game against the Vikings but then Favre went to play for the Jets.

Earlier this week Favre said he has no intention of coming out of retirement.

Guard Josh Sitton, linebacker Desmond Bishop and backup quarterback Matt Flynn are traveling with president and CEO Mark Murphy on the team's sixth annual Tailgate Tour, which left from Lambeau Field on Tuesday morning.

Former receiver Antonio Freeman made an appearance on the tour Wednesday. He said the league and the world are about second chances.

"So, I think at one point in time we'll have to give Brett Favre a second chance to come back home," Freeman said. "He did have a very meaningful career here. I'm personally biased because he and I shared so many magical moments. He was my quarterback for, basically, my entire career. He was a guy who threw me all of my touchdowns."

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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