Eden Prairie, MN (My Sportsbook) - Brett Favre is coming back again, and this time it's with the Minnesota Vikings.

After weeks of speculation, Favre ended his second retirement on Tuesday. He boarded a plane from Hattiesburg, Mississippi and landed in St. Paul, Minnesota, then was quickly transported to the Vikings training facility, underwent a physical and signed an undisclosed contract. Reports have the deal at two years worth a possible $25 million should all the clauses regarding performance and health be met.

"I am excited about the opportunity to join this football team," Favre said in a release by the team. "From ownership, to coaching, to the players, it is evident that everyone in the Vikings organization is committed to bringing the fans of Minnesota a championship. I am eager to join my new teammates and get to work towards that goal."

It was in late July that Favre told Vikings head coach Brad Childress that he was not ready to make another comeback, but speculation had been that Favre was delaying his decision to avoid the rigors of training camp, which ended for the Vikings last week before the team's first preseason game against Indianapolis.

The Vikings were having an open competition for the starting quarterback job between journeyman Sage Rosenfels, who was acquired from Houston in February, and Tarvaris Jackson, a 2006 second-round pick of the Vikings who has had ample opportunity to claim the starter's role.

That has now turned into a competition to determine Favre's backup.

"We believe adding a player such as Brett Favre to our mix will be a strong positive for this football team," said Childress. "As we have conveyed before, his unique knowledge of our system, the NFC North and his innate skills make this a rare opportunity. We felt there was a brief window to reconsider the possibility and we owed it to the organization to evaluate our options. After thorough discussion, the same variables that made this a unique and positive situation previously, still exist. Now, our attention turns to getting to work as a team, our next practice and preparing for the season."

Favre's first chance at competition will come on Friday when the Vikings host Kansas City in their second preseason game.

"I would expect him to play (on Friday)," Childress stated at a press conference held later in the day introducing Favre. "We still got a little bit of time here. We'll see how he feels tomorrow. There's no question systematically he can do that. He went out on the football field without a meeting or anything. He had a physical, ate lunch and got his stuff on and went out there. We'll see."

Favre, who turns 40 in October, spent the 2008 season with the New York Jets, then announced his retirement for a second time in as many years. He first retired as a Green Bay Packer following the 2007 campaign.

After a disappointing end to the 2008 season with the Jets, Favre underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon affecting his throwing shoulder -- an indication he was set to make another comeback. He apparently played with that injury in the final five games of last season, when the Jets won just once and went from playoff contender at 8-3 to missing the playoffs completely at 9-7.

"I knew if I was to play I had to have surgery. Last year, playing with a torn biceps...as the season went along, my arm got worse and worse. I wanted to make sure if I was to play I didn't go through that again," Favre said in addressing the media for the first time as a Viking.

"From a few weeks ago, what has changed really, is I found out after the surgery that I still had a tear in my rotator cuff. I talked with Dr. (James) Andrews and he said 'had I fixed that, you wouldn't play this year, you might not play next year because that's a pretty serious surgery but it looks like you could play with it for quite a while.'

"Brad called yesterday and we had a good conversation. I hadn't talked to him in three weeks. Between three weeks ago when I said no and the conversation yesterday I was reassured by Dr. Andrews that it (injury) wouldn't be an issue even though I thought it was over and done with.

"It kind of gave me another chance yesterday. I felt like if they were going to give me a chance than I was too."

Last season he completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,472 yards with 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. He was playing in a different system than what he was accustomed to in Green Bay. The Vikings run a similar system to that of the Packers.

"We have a really good football team here. We have a very good running game. I hope from that standpoint I came offer some experience and leadership," Favre said. "I still have that competitive fire in me. As a player, regardless of sport, you have to feel like you can make a difference and I truly feel like I can."

The three-time MVP wanted to play last season with Minnesota after deciding to end his first brief retirement. The Packers, though, were unwilling to deal him within the NFC North and instead traded him to the Jets.

"When people start talking about my legacy -- it's mine -- it's what I think of it. I know the way I've played the game (and) I know they way I've handled myself as a teammate and a leader," Favre said when asked about how the final years of his career will be viewed.

Favre has spent 18 seasons in the NFL and starred for 16 years with the Packers, who acquired him from Atlanta before the 1992 season. He threw four passes in two games with the Falcons, who had selected the Southern Mississippi product in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft.

The ultimate gunslinger, Favre was a seven-time All-Pro and was selected to 10 Pro Bowls, including this past season with New York. He left the game as the NFL's all-time record holder in several categories, including wins by a starting quarterback, passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions and consecutive games started.

Favre has completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 65,127 yards with 464 touchdowns and 310 interceptions. He led the Packers to a pair of Super Bowls, winning his lone title after the 1996 season in a 35-21 victory over New England. The Packers lost to Denver in the Super Bowl the following season.