(Scypre.com) – Brett Favre, NFL Hall of Famer and former Green Bay Packers quarterback, announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Favre delivered this emotional news during his congressional hearing on federal welfare reform, a topic that has embroiled him in legal controversy since 2020.
During the hearing, the 54-year-old football legend also shared a personal financial setback, revealing he had lost money in an investment tied to a potential concussion treatment. “Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others,” Favre stated. “I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, this is also a cause dear to my heart.”
Throughout his football career, Favre sustained numerous head injuries and recently estimated that he may have suffered “thousands” of concussions. Back in 2021, he advocated for parents to delay introducing their children to tackle football until at least age 14, due to the risks of head trauma. In a conversation with OutKick last month, Favre disclosed that he had sustained a head injury during the final play of his NFL career, further shedding light on the dangers of repeated concussions.
Favre’s experiences with head trauma are part of a larger discussion surrounding player safety in the NFL. In a 2022 interview with “The Bubba Army” radio show, he recalled how concussions were handled less strictly during his prime playing years. “Concussions happen all the time,” he said. “You get tackled, and your head hits the turf, you see flashes of light or ringing in your ears, but you’re able to play — that’s a concussion.”
The NFL legend was also at the hearing because of his involvement in the Mississippi welfare scandal from 2020. Although Favre has not been criminally charged, the state of Mississippi is suing 38 individuals and companies in an effort to recover $24 million of the $77 million misused federal welfare funds. Favre, who helped raise money for the University of Southern Mississippi’s athletic facility, has maintained his innocence, claiming he was unaware that $5 million of the funding came from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Favre’s storied NFL career, which spanned 20 seasons, includes 16 with the Green Bay Packers, though he was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. After leaving Green Bay, he also played for the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. Favre’s career statistics are impressive, ranking fourth all-time in passing yards (71,838) and touchdowns (508), though he also holds the record for the most interceptions (336).