Former NFL star Brett Favre reveals he has Parkinson's disease during Congressional hearing

The Hall of Fame quarterback disclosed his diagnosis while testifying about his alleged misuse of taxpayer funds.

Former NFL star and Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer revealed the news Tuesday while delivering testimony before Congress, during a hearing addressing his alleged misuse of taxpayer funds. Favre, 54, is among 20 individuals who were sued in 2022 for what the Mississippi Department of Human Services said was a "gross misuse" of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds.

Per the Associated Press, Favre argued that state officials "failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse" and then attempted to blame him.

"I also lost an investment in a company that I believe was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others," he said. "And I'm sure you'll understand why it's too late for me, because I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's."

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Favre added, "This is also a cause dear to my heart. Recently, the doctor running the company pleaded guilty to taking TANF money for his own use. I believe that I got swept up in a civil lawsuit." He also said, "When this started, I didn't know what TANF was. Now I know TANF is one of the country's most important welfare programs to help people in need."

A representative for Favre didn't immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for further comment.

An audit by state officials reportedly found that $5 million in TANF funds were used to build a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, where Favre's daughter was playing on the school's volleyball team, while another $1.7 million was given to the pharmaceutical company Prevacus. The company, which Favre was an investor in, claimed it had developed a nasal spray that could be used to treat concussions. The spray was ultimately proven to be less effective than advertised.

Favre has publicly stated that he didn’t know the money came from the state's welfare fund, and has repaid $1.1 million to the state of Mississippi. He has not been criminally charged.

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Since his 2011 retirement from the NFL, Favre has openly discussed the lasting impact of injuries sustained during his career, telling Today in 2021 that he suffers from memory loss due to concussions.

"[There's] no telling how many concussions I've had, and what are the repercussions of that, there's no answer," he said. "I wasn't the best student, but I still can remember certain things that you would go, 'Why would you even remember that?' But I can't remember someone that I played six years with in Green Bay… but the face looks familiar. Those type of issues that make me wonder."

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Favre, who also played for the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings, added, "Concussions are a very, very serious thing, and we're just scraping the surface of how severe they are."

Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that commonly causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms, such as tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination, gradually worsen over time, often to the point of having difficulty walking.

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