"Any report of a mass-produced, league-approved Brett Favre Minnesota Vikings jersey is premature, an NFL spokesman said Thursday.

"We wait until there is a player contract that has been approved; then we begin mass producing them," league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "But nothing has transpired from here."

First, a signed Favre contract with the Vikings would have to be delivered to the league and players union.

Then, the league and union would have to approve any mass-produced official NFL jersey by Reebok.

It is believed that Reebok already has prepared screens of a Favre Vikings jersey, just as it would for the teams in the Super Bowl.

That way, as soon as the league approves a contract, Reebok immediately can begin filling orders.

If Favre does not sign, though, the screen for mass production would be destroyed.

Tuesday evening, WCCO-TV showed video of what was purported to be a "Reebok licensed" Favre jersey that was not yet for sale.

McCarthy said in an e-mail that a couple dozen Favre jerseys have been pre-ordered. He also said that the company that fills orders to NFLShop.com, the league's official merchandising site, could have inadvertently shipped a Favre jersey.

Anyone can customize jerseys on NFLShop.com.

But plausible ones are not supposed to be shipped until a contract between that player and that team has been consummated.

"You could mock it up and pre-order it," McCarthy said, "but, if it doesn't happen, then it doesn't ship."

A fan still could order an official Reebok jersey with his or her own last name on it - "Smith," for instance, in Vikings purple with the No. 4.

The league normally doesn't filter much, except for obscene language, but a No. 4 Favre Vikings jersey would not be approved for distribution at this point.

There are numerous postings on Web sites such as craigslist and eBay for Favre Vikings jerseys.

One seller on eBay, based in Charlotte, N.C., claims to offer an "officially licensed" purple No. 4 Favre jersey with an "NFL Equipment patch and Reebok vector" on it. "