Brett Favre has asked for his unconditional contractual release from the Packers, according to sources close with Favre and Green Bay that spoke with ESPN.com. Packers' General Manager Ted Thompson and Coach Mike McCarthy weren't available for comment Friday. The Packers released a statement: "Brett earned and exercised the right to retire on his terms. We wanted him to return and welcomed him back on more than one occasion." "Brett's press conference and subsequent conversations in the following weeks illustrated his commitment to retirement," the news release added. "The finality of his decision to retire was accepted by the organization. At that point, the Green Bay Packers made the commitment to move forward with our football team." The letter, asking for an unconditional release, was sent by Favre's agent James "Bus" Cook via overnight mail on Thursday and arrived at the Packers' facility Friday morning.