Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre announced his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease during testimony before a congressional committee on Tuesday.
Favre revealed his condition while discussing a welfare misappropriation scandal in Mississippi. He is not facing criminal charges but has reimbursed over $1 million in speaking fees sourced from the state’s welfare program. Additionally, he was an investor in a biotech firm linked to the scandal, which has stated it was working on treatments for concussions.
“I lost my investment in the company ‘that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others,’” Favre stated during his testimony.
While the exact cause of Parkinson’s disease remains unknown, it is uncertain whether Favre’s diagnosis is related to his football career or any head injuries he sustained. In a previous statement from 2022, Favre estimated he endured “thousands” of concussions over his 20-year NFL tenure.
Favre appeared at the House Ways and Means Committee hearing, which is led by Republicans, to support reforms aimed at improving the federal welfare system to better combat fraud.
“The challenges my family and I have faced over the last three years—because certain government officials in Mississippi failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably trying to blame me, those challenges have hurt my good name and are worse than anything I faced in football,” he said.
House Republicans have highlighted that the welfare misappropriation scandal, involving Favre and others, underscores the necessity for reform in the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Favre has maintained that he was unaware that the payments he received originated from welfare funds. He also noted that his charitable foundation has contributed millions of dollars to assist underprivileged children in Mississippi and Wisconsin, where he played the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers.
