Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre disclosed during a congressional hearing on Tuesday that he has Parkinson’s disease. During the welfare accountability hearing, Favre mentioned losing his investment in a company he thought was pioneering a concussion treatment.
“While it’s too late for me—because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s—this cause is also dear to my heart,” he said.
Favre’s NFL career spanned 20 seasons, predominantly with the Green Bay Packers, where he clinched the Super Bowl in 1997.
The 54-year-old, who retired from football after the 2010 season, believes he may have sustained over 1,000 concussions during his time on the field.
In a 2018 interview with the Today show, Favre explained, “When you experience ringing in the ears and seeing stars, you’re dealing with a concussion. By that definition, I’ve encountered hundreds, perhaps thousands, over my career, which is terrifying.”
Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder characterized by movement difficulties and possible symptoms like tremors, speech impediments, and poor coordination, is associated with concussions.
A 2020 study in the Family Medicine and Community Health Journal found that even a single concussion might raise the risk of Parkinson’s by 57%.
Concussions are also linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head injuries, which can only be confirmed through an autopsy.
Symptoms of CTE observed during a person’s lifetime can include cognitive problems, impulsive behavior, depression, suicidal ideation, memory lapses, and emotional volatility.
In 2022, Favre was among the individuals implicated in a civil lawsuit by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, which accused them of misusing welfare funds intended for the state’s most impoverished families under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
He has not faced criminal charges related to the misuse of funds.
“The last three years have been especially challenging for my family and me, as some officials in Mississippi have failed to safeguard federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are now unfairly trying to hold me responsible.”
“These challenges have done more damage to my reputation than anything I encountered in football,” Favre remarked during the hearing, where some Republicans pushed for reforms to prevent fraud in the federal welfare system.
Favre maintained that he was unaware that the funds he received were from welfare resources, emphasizing that his charitable activities had generated millions for disadvantaged children in Mississippi and Wisconsin, his longtime NFL home.
