( Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

Signs continue mounting that this will be Brett Favre’s final NFL season.

Favre is wearing down both physically and emotionally. He no longer throws downfield nearly as effectively as he once did. Rarely does he have the long-strike touchdown passes that once marked his career. He throws with less power and runs slower, as evidenced by his first-quarter, 27-yard run last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Of course, this is hardly surprising for a 39-year-old. But Favre infrequently has acted his age in the past.

Emotionally, Favre rarely displays the exuberance that marked his play for years in Green Bay. This season he has not been spotted carrying one teammate after another over his shoulder following an impressive touchdown pass. More often, Favre has sat on the bench, emotionless.

And it’s not as though the season hasn’t gone well; it has. The 9-5 Jets are tied for first place and Favre has led the team to memorable back-to-back victories at New England and Tennessee.

Favre is wearing down now. It’s not going to be any better next season when he is 40. So more and more, this is looking like the end for Favre, a fact he acknowledged last week.

When he discussed his 10th Pro Bowl selection, he reflected on his career and said, “I got everything out of it that I wanted to.”

Favre later added, “I’m well aware of the fact that there’s two games left. I’m expecting us to make the playoffs, as I hope the rest of the team is, but it very well could be my last. It could be my last three games, last four games, I don’t know.”

Even if he did know, Favre wouldn’t say. He has struggled with the decision before, and he could struggle with it again. But the curtain looks like it soon will be coming down on the career of a future Hall of Fame quarterback, one of the game’s all-time greats.