Brett Favre, the renowned NFL quarterback, recently disclosed his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease during a congressional hearing on welfare reform and misuse. The 54-year-old Favre shared his diagnosis while discussing his investment in a now-defunct concussion drug company, Prevacus, which he believed was developing a groundbreaking treatment.
The hearing, held by the House Ways and Means Committee, focused on the need for stricter controls on the distribution of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. Favre expressed his regret over his diagnosis and his inability to benefit from the potential breakthrough drug, stating that the cause was close to his heart.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement and worsens over time. There is currently no known cure for the disease.
Favre’s testimony comes in the wake of his involvement in the 2020 Mississippi welfare scandal. He, along with others, were accused of misappropriating welfare funds for personal projects, including the construction of a new volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi, where Favre played football and his daughter played volleyball.
Favre, who had a 20-year career in the NFL, previously stated that he suffered “thousands” of concussions during his professional career. He made this revelation during an appearance on “The Bubba Army” radio show in August 2022. Favre holds the record for playing in 299 consecutive games out of his 302-game NFL career.
In a 2018 interview on “TODAY” with Megyn Kelly, Favre admitted that his short-term memory and word retrieval skills had deteriorated. He expressed concern about whether these symptoms were signs of early stages of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition associated with repeated blows to the head.
Favre, who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and also played for the Falcons, Jets, and Vikings, won a Super Bowl with Green Bay in 1997 and received three consecutive MVP awards from 1995-97. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Favre ended his career with a total of 6,300 completions, 10,169 attempts, 71,838 yards, and 508 touchdowns.