Brett Favre hasn’t decided whether to play

Brett Favre has not decided whether he will play for the Minnesota Vikings this season, and Wednesday he denied sending text messages to teammates that said he will call it quits.

Reports on Tuesday said Favre had begun telling Vikings personnel, including teammates, that he would not play in 2010. Coach Brad Childress dismissed the reports Tuesday, saying he hadn’t heard directly from Favre on the subject.

Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, said Wednesday that Favre plans to return to the team if he is healthy. Favre, 40, is rehabilitating his left ankle, which he injured in last season’s NFC title game loss to the New Orleans Saints.

“I know it’s a decision that he wrestles with,” Bevell said after a morning practice at which Favre was throwing a ball with high school students in Hattiesburg, Miss. “He’s a great player. He’s a great competitor. He mulls things over. He’s an emotional guy. So he thinks things through long and hard and takes his time with his decision. So I’m not surprised that things started to come out. We just have to wait and see.”

As Favre was trying to leave in his vehicle, he briefly spoke to reporters. He said he had not sent messages to teammates indicating his playing future and did not elaborate on when a decision might come.

Favre has one year left on his contract at $13 million.

He has retired twice — after the 2007 season with the Green Bay Packers and after the 2008 season with the New York Jets. Last summer, Favre had surgery for a partially torn biceps, then decided Aug. 18 to come back and play for Minnesota.

The 2009 season was one of the best for Favre. He threw for 4,202 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His quarterback rating of 107.2 was second to New Orleans’ Drew Brees.

Cook told the Associated Press that Favre will visit surgeon James Andrews next week for an evaluation.

“He’s working out really hard and everything seems to indicate that if he is healthy and can contribute and play at the level that he has become accustomed to, he will play,” Cook said.