Brett Favre's return for another season is "highly unlikely, but it has been an awesome year," the Minnesota Vikings quarterback told ESPN's Ed Werder after the Vikings' loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Favre, who returned to the NFL from retirement with the goal of leading the Vikings to a championship, fell just short when his pass with seconds left in regulation was intercepted. The Saints won in overtime to advance to the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl.

The physical punishment Brett Favre absorbed during Sunday's NFC Championship left the veteran QB hurting late in the game. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Favre also told Werder before the game that not one Vikings player had inquired about his future because they were so focused on the game.

Favre wasn't quite ready to make a decision on his future immediately following the loss, but he said he wouldn't take long to make his plans known this time.

"Just wondering if I can hold up, especially after a day like today," Favre said after throwing for 310 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. "Physically and mentally. That was pretty draining. I am going to go home, a couple of days and just talk it over with the family."

Without prompting, player after player brought up how fun Favre was to play with. Respectfully, they declined to speculate about his decision, but the consensus was that he can take all the time he needs even if it means skipping training camp again.

"It's still early. Way too early. Brett is liable to change his mind five, 10 times down the road," wide receiver Bernard Berrian said. "He already knows that we want him back. It's more or less letting him go off and do his thing."

After Sunday's game, Favre staggered to the podium, an abrasion between his eyes, welts on his forehead and tears in his eyes from the beating he took at the hands of the Saints and the realization that his quest to get back to the Super Bowl fell just short again.

For a quarterback who derived so much joy during an improbably successful season for the Vikings, Favre sure didn't look or sound like a player who had much left after a heartbreaking 31-28 overtime loss to the Saints.

Favre has one year left on the two-year contract he signed with Minnesota in August, but Vikings coach Brad Childress isn't going to rush him into making a decision on returning for a 20th NFL season.

"I told him go home and lick your wounds and I'll do the same and we'll catch up down the road," Childress said. "Nobody wants to be rash about any decision-making, I'm sure, right now."