Brett's still a favre-ite but not NFL favourite

The Minnesota Vikings, tipped as potential Super Bowl winners, have taken a chance on veteran quarterback Brett Favre as the man to help them lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 2010.

Favre, now a greying 39-year-old and former Super Bowl winner and loser with the Green Bay Packers, may be a long shot but fans of the NFL will be watching with interest to see how he does as the new season gets under way after coming out of retirement for the third time.

He was with the New York Jets last season, after leaving the Packers following 16 seasons in Wisconsin, and has been coaxed back by the Vikings, fierce divisional rivals of the Packers.

Brett and the Pack are due to be reunited in Minnesota on 5 October and it will be interesting to see what sort of reception he gets at Lambeau Field on 1 November where he was adored by Packer fans.

The Vikings have three quarterbacks vying for the starting slot so the competition will be tough for Favre, but his arrival immediately saw their odds to win the Super Bowl cut from 22-1 to 14-1.

But backing Favre to lift that silver trophy this season is more Disney than destiny. A safer bet is Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who are 9-2 favourites with William Hill. The Pats pass through London on their road to Super Bowl XLIV, in Miami, on 7 February, facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley on Sunday 25 October.

In last night's season opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Tennessee Titans 13-10 in overtime.