Brett Favre reveals Parkinson’s disease diagnosis before Congress

Brett Favre testified during a congressional hearing Tuesday morning and the former NFL quarterback revealed he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Favre was appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee regarding allegations that he misused Mississippi welfare funds to build a volleyball stadium at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, and invest in a drug company, Prevacus. The drug company was developing a concussion medication.

“Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others,” Favre said. “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.”

In 2022, Favre estimated he suffered “thousands” of concussions from playing pro football during an interview with Bubba the Love Sponge, noting, “there was ringing or stars going” every time his head hit the turf. “Thousands” would mean Favre averaged more than three concussions per game throughout his NFL career. Regardless of how accurate that number is, Favre almost certainly suffered concussions that went undiagnosed during a playing career that was often praised for its reckless abandon.

The founder of Prevacus, the company Favre used state funds to invest in, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with the Mississippi welfare scandal earlier this year. Favre was named in a 2022 civil suit filed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, where he was accused of improperly receiving about $8 million in funds from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. It’s the largest public embezzlement scandal in state history. Favre maintains he did not know the money he received from the state was intended as welfare funds.

In the wake of the allegations against Favre, the former quarterback filed and lost defamation lawsuits against Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe. The Hall of Fame quarterback also lost an appeal in his defamation suit against Sharpe. Favre has not been charged with a crime in connection to the Mississippi welfare scandal.

[Adam Schefter]