In the never ending saga of the Brett Favre story, the 40-year-old Mississippi native has returned to the NFL once again, making the “experts” who claimed that he was done look stupid.

After rumors stirred that Favre had indeed finally taken his last snap as an NFL quarterback, it appears that, well, he hasn‘t.

What is it with Favre? Seriously?

Does he not enjoy being with his wife and family in the cozy confines of his South Mississippi spread?

Was it the three teammates who showed up on his front door on Tuesday, begging and pleading with him to come back for just one more season?

Was it the raise from $13 million to $16 million, with incentives that could take him to $20 million that did it?

Was it just his way of “playing” the media?

I don’t think it is any of these (although I can picture him sitting on the couch with a smirk on his face, watching Sports Center and listening to commentators talk about how he is never coming back).

I think, more than anything, Brett Favre is a true football player. His father was a football coach. It is all he has ever known. It is in his blood.

Brett Favre is as tough as they come. He is an intelligent quarterback, and he is a competitor.

I think what is bringing ole No. 4 back for a 20th season in the NFL is his last play from last season.

Think about it for a moment.

Favre was a star baseball and football player for Hancock North Central High School in Mississippi. He played offense, defense, was even the kicker and punter on the team. He was a four-year starter at Southern Miss. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times, is a five-time NFC Player of the Year, he has played in two Super Bowls, and holds the NFL records for most career touchdown passes,  most career passing yards, most career pass completions, most career pass attempts, most consecutive starts, and most career victories as a starting quarterback.

How could a guy like Favre, once selected by Men’s Health Magazine as the “Toughest Person in America,” walk away from this game that has brought him so much fame and glory and end his career with - an interception?

That, my friends is what is bringing Favre back. Heck, he may play just one game, throw some completions, a TD or two, then head on back to Mississippi.

Okay, probably not. But there is no way that Brett Favre was going to end his career with an interception.

I also believe that deep down inside, he believes that he has the players around him to possibly make it to the big game one more time.

Sure, the money is good, the attention from the media is good, the support of his friends and family is good, and the escort from Jared Allen, Ryan Longwell and Steve Hutchinson from Hattiesburg back to Minnesota was in impressive PR move. But ultimately, Favre is a football player, and he is going to go out the way he wants to go out.

Super Bowl ring or not, he was never going to end this stellar career with an interception.

Personally, I’m glad he’s back.

Hit ‘em straight.

Dale Jones is a staff writer for The Islander and a member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Reach him at djones@gulfcoastnewspapers.com.