Will Brett Favre return to play a 20th NFL season in 2010? The specter of Favre's playing status is certain to linger over the Minnesota Vikings until he either shows up in training camp or the Vikings kick off on Sept. 9 with someone else under center. Until it's resolved, USA TODAY will monitor the events with Favre Watch 2010.

Look back on everything Favre has said or those close to him have said about him since Favre last played in the Vikings' NFC championship game loss to the Saints in January:

Aug. 18: Favre participated in his first practice of the season with the Vikings and said he could not pass up on one more chance to win a Super Bowl on a team with players he feels loyalty to. Favre said the pain in his surgically repaired ankle had not gone away. "The fact is," he said, "it's just something you have to deal with." Read more

Aug. 17: Favre returned to the Vikings after three teammates (Jared Allen, Ryan Longwell and Steve Hutchinson) made an overnight trip to recruit him back to the team. Hutchinson told the NFL Network the players did not know if Favre would agree to return. The trip came exactly one year after news first broke that Favre would join the Vikings in 2008. Read more

Aug. 12: Favre reportedly has his problematic left ankle re-examined by James Andrews in Florida on the day the Vikings break training camp in Mankato, Minn. Read more

Aug. 7: Favre's friend and former coach, Steve Mariucci, reported on the NFL Network that the QB had told him in a text message that his status of his ankle still needed to improve for him to be able to play. "His arm feels great," Mariucci said. "His conditioning is good, but he hasn't run much without pain in his ankle. It still gives him pain, and it needs to be better before he reports." Read more

Aug. 4: Favre denied sending text messages to teammates indicating he wouldn't play in 2010 two days prior. And agent, Bus Cook, said the health of Favre's ankle — which still wasn't certain — would be the only determining factor in Favre's decision on his playing status. Read more

Aug. 3: Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe confirmed that Favre had text-messaged some teammates and informed them that he did not intend to play in the 2010 season. But Vikings coach Brad Childress said Favre had made no such declaration and an unnamed family insider maintained Favre had made no decision on retirement. Read more

July 30: Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said he was not concerned that Favre didn't report to training camp with the team. "Right now he's the starting quarterback of our team," Wilf said. "So we're in a good position." Read more

July 29: The Vikings opened training camp without Favre in attendance, but the quarterback was a popular topic of conversation. "Nobody cares," guard Steve Hutchinson said. "He's pretty rare that he can miss all of training camp and do all that and come in and light it up. Hopefully if he decides to come back he can do that all over again." Read more

July 27: Vikings coach Brad Childress said he anticipates Favre needing only "two or three weeks" to get ready for the regular season if he decides to rejoin the Vikings. Read more

July 26: Favre revealed to USA TODAY that he considered his career "done" after the NFC title game loss to the Saints in January. But he said he said of his Vikings teammates, "I almost feel as if I owe these guys something." Read more

July 20: In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY's Jon Saraceno, Favre says, "Obviously, I can't make people understand what I'm going through," in regards to his decision to return for a 20th NFL season. He also reveals that Vikings coach Brad Childress still hasn't put a deadline on Favre in terms of determining his future. Read more

July 19: Vikings coach Brad Childress pays Favre a visit in Hattiesburg, Miss. Asked about the nature of his visit, Childress replied: "You can fill in the blanks." Read more

July 14: Favre wins an ESPY for his game-winning touchdown pass to Greg Lewis in 2009 and shares his joy regarding his 19th season. Amid his ankle's recovery, he also offers that he 'would love to play' in 2010. Read More

July 14: In a revealing interview to Men's Journal, Favre claims not to worry about further injuring his body while expressing surprise at his stellar 2009 campaign. Read more

July 12: Favre worked out with high school students in Hattiesburg, Miss. The QB did not speak about his status, however, and ran to his truck and drove away when approached by reporters. Read more

July 6: Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson said he will "welcome" Favre back to the team, but intends to work out as if he's the starter until then. "You all watch TV the same way I do," Jackson said. "He ain't working out for no reason. I welcome him back." Read more

July 1: Favre worked out at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss., where coach Nevil Barr said the quarterback had been throwing passes to his players since late May. "His arm is great like always," Barr said. "As far as how his ankle is I haven't heard him say anything about it." Read more

June 28: Saints QB Drew Brees said he has no doubt "that Brett Favre is coming back" and will play for the Vikings when they arrive in the Superdome to play New Orleans in Week 1. Read more

June 25: Favre reiterated that he is unsure if he will return to the Vikings and that he is allowing his body to heal from surgery on his left foot in May. "I just don't know," Favre said. "I do not want to stir the pot." The QB added he's still considering whether he can withstand the physical toll of another NFL season. Read more

June 24: Favre said that his recovery from ankle surgery is on schedule and that he would like another shot at the New Orleans Saints. But he stopped short of commiting to a 20th NFL season. Said Favre, "I would love to go beat the Saints. I know I can still play at a high level. Last year was a great year, but it could have been better." Read more

June 17: Vikings DE Jared Allen said that he expects Favre would have already informed the team if he did not intend to return for the 2010 season. Read more

June 16: Dr. James Andrews, who performed surgery on Favre's left ankle in May, said that the procedure went well but that the QB still needs more weeks of rehabilitation before he can decide on whether to play in 2010. Favre, said Andrews, "hasn't decided what he wants to do." Read more

June 11: Favre did not participate in the Vikings' three-day mandatory minicamp, and coach Brad Childress reiterated he is content to wait for him. TE Visanthe Shiancoe said it's no surprise the Vikings are willing to go to great lengths to accommodate Favre. "Brett is a player of his own. Of course, there are going to be exceptions for him," Shiancoe said. "Everybody knows that. It's Brett Favre. He's earned the right and everybody else feels the same way, especially after the season he had last year ..." Read more

June 7: Vikings K Ryan Longwell, a teammate to Favre for eight years in both Green Bay and Minnesota, said he believes the quarterback is torn on whether to return." I think it's 50-50 either way," Longwell said. "He played so well (last season), and I think there's a desire that this team has a chance to go a long way. That would be the reason to come back. But at the same time, he was so at peace with how he played last year — late in the season — and that would be the reason not to come back." Longwell added that "it wouldn't shock" him if Favre declined to play in 2010. Read more

June 6: The Southern Mississippi baseball team was eliminated before reaching the College World Series. Favre had told members of the team at his alma mater that he would return to the NFL if they earned a berth in the NCAA championship at Omaha. Read more

May 27: Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe said that Favre's left ankle surgery the previous week was "promising news" for a potential comeback. "Why's he getting ankle surgery?" Shiancoe said. "That's the first thing that came through my mind. Seems like he got it for the season, because that's what he needed to come back to the Vikings." Read more

May 26: Favre spoke to a crowd at a motivational rally in Minneapolis via satellite and called 2009 "the best season I've ever had." He did not say if he intended to return for the 2010 season. "Physically, I don't feel great," he told the crowd. "I'm not getting any younger." Read more

May 21: Favre revealed that he had undergone surgery on his injured left ankle. "I did have a procedure to remove some scar tissue and bone spurs from my ankle which had been bothering me for a period of time," Favre said. He had said three weeks prior that he could have played the 2010 season even without the surgery, but he did not make any statements about what the surgery meant for his 2010 playing prospects. Read more

May 21: Vikings backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson admitted to AOL FanHouse that he was "bitter" and "mad" when Favre joined the team in August 2009. But Favre quickly won him over. "He helped me a lot," Jackson said. "I learned so much just by watching him." Still, Jackson, who heads into the 2010 season with just one year left on his contract, said he still wants to be a starter. Read more

May 20: Favre told the baseball team of his alma mater, Southern Mississippi, that he would return to the NFL if earned a spot again in the College World Series. "You go back and I go back," Favre told the team. Read more

May 19: Vikings coach Brad Childress said he had remained in regular contact with Favre but offered no update on the quarterback's status. Also, he cautioned that his communication with Favre has come via text message and said, "Texting is not talking." Read more

April 30: Favre told ESPN in an e-mail that he would need surgery on his injured ankle in order to play again. But later in the day in a message on his website, Favre clarified that the ankle injury is not "debilitating" and that "major surgery" wouldn't be necessary for him to play in 2010. Favre also reiterated that he has not yet decided whether to return. Read more

April 22: Former coaches Steve Mariucci and Tony Dungy both said they had recently spoken with Favre and that the QB isn't ready to commit to a new season. Mariucci said Favre was still bothered by lingering injuries. "He's trying to determine: Is his body telling him something here?" Mariucci said. "Or is he going to be feeling better in due time?" Dungy was more optimistic, however, "If I was a betting man, I think he'd come back," he said. "He looked like he was fit and ready to go, and his voice sounded like he's ready to go." Read more.

April 20: The NFL prominently features the Vikings in four prime-time games with the release of its 2010 regular-season schedule. Perhaps counting on a return by Favre, the NFL places the Vikings in the opening night game, a rematch of the NFC title game against the Saints in New Orleans. Read more.

April 20: Vikings coach Brad Childress said he had spoken with Favre the previous day, though he had no update on the QB's playing status. "He seems to be doing well," Childress said. Read more.

April 14: Members of the Vikings reveal that Favre left new pairs of Wrangler jeans in their lockers when they returned for offseason workouts. Favre wasn't there to distribute them. Read more.

April 6: Favre confirms that his daughter, Brittany, gave birth to a son, Parker Brett, on April 2. Favre said he was "very proud" to welcome his grandson, but gave no indication if he would return to playing. Read more.

March 22: Vikings coach Brad Childress said he's prepared to wait as long as training camp for Favre to decide to play again. That Favre joined the Vikings in mid-August last year proved to him such an arrangement can work. "We've been able to see at what point he's been able to enter the situation and still be productive," Childress said. Read more.

March 16: Hall of Famer Joe Montana said he thought Favre's uncertainty was organized and that the QB definitely planned on returning. "He knows he's going to come back, but the reason they don't say anything is because he doesn't want to go through training camp," Montana said. Read more.

March 16: New Jets RB LaDainian Tomlinson revealed that Favre was recruiting him when he was considering signing with the Vikings. But Tomlinson said Favre didn't hint at whether he'd play next season. "Really, he didn't say much," Tomlinson said. "He said to take my time and make a decision for my family." Read more.

March 5: Favre appeared on NBC's Tonight Show but shed no light on his plans for the playing field. "I know now that I'm just not going to say anything anytime soon, just going to kind of sit back, relax, enjoy the offseason," Favre said. Read more.

Feb. 26: Vikings coach Brad Childress said he had been in regular contact with Favre and was still content with the QB taking as much time as he needs to determine whether to play again. "I spoke to him a couple times earlier this week," Childress said. "He's got other things on his mind right now." Read more.

Feb. 2: Favre's agent, Bus Cook, revealed photos of Favre's ankle and hamstring that depicted deep purple bruises the QB suffered in the loss to the Saints. Read more.

Jan. 27: Favre's brother, Scott, said the QB's injuries took a toll on him in the loss to the Saints. "He was beat up physically and mentally," Scott Favre said. "He was emotionally drained. Physically, he hurt both wrists, both ankles, one leg, head bruised. He was beat all to hell." Scott Favre said Brett hadn't decided on whether to play in 2010. Read more.

Jan. 26: Vikings coach Brad Childress said Favre was "too close" to the loss to make any sound decisions. He said the team would not impose a deadline on Favre to re-commit to playing. Read more.

Jan. 25: Vikings WR Bernard Berrian said it's too soon to believe Favre's comment to ESPN that he was "highly unlikely to play again. Said Berrian, "Way too early. Brett is liable to change his mind five, 10 times down the road." Read more.

Jan. 25: ESPN reported that late after the Vikings' loss the previous day, Favre told the network it was "highly unlikely" he would play again. Read more.

Jan. 24: After losing 31-28 to the Saints in overtime of the NFC title game, Favre says it's too soon to think about playing in a 20th season. "I really don't want to make a decision right now based solely on what happened today," he said. Read more.