Green Bay, Wis. ? Brett Favre rejoined the Green Bay Packers on Thursday with a heavy heart and a desire to resume preparations for the upcoming season.

The Green Bay quarterback was excused from Packers practices earlier in the week to return home to Mississippi for the funeral services of his wife’s stepfather, Rocky Byrd, who died Saturday after suffering a heart attack.

“As I was flying back up … as much as any other time in my career, I was really, I shouldn’t say excited, but I was ready to get back here and get on with football,” Favre said during his first news conference of training camp. “If I wasn’t playing, retired, and was at home, it would be much more difficult to be in that environment.”

Legs sideline Shockey

Albany, N.Y. – Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey missed two practices due to sore legs at the New York Giants training camp on Thursday. Shockey had complained that his legs were bothering him on Wednesday.

Cardinals agree to terms with No. 1 pick Brown

Flagstaff, Ariz. – First-round draft pick Levi Brown agreed to terms Thursday with the Arizona Cardinals, his agent said.

Contract details weren’t available immediately, but it’s believed to be a six-year, $62 million deal with more $18 million guaranteed. The offensive tackle out of Penn State was the No. 5 overall draft pick.