NJ.com reports Brett Favre asked for his release from the Jets twice, and forced the team’s hand to have it done after it drafted Mark Sanchez.

The report by Dave Hutchinson speculates that the team didn’t want the possibility of Favre’s return to hinder Sanchez’s development, and that it wasn’t worth looking for a trading partner to accomodate Favre.

It also speculates that the fact Favre asked for this manuever goes against his expressed intention to remain retired.