Hall Of Fame NFL QB Brett Favre Says He Has Parkinson’s Disease

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he said during a U.S. House Ways and Means Committee hearing Tuesday.

The 54-year-old Hall of Famer disclosed the disease during his testimony about a welfare misspending scandal involving him, the state of Mississippi, and a biotech company.

"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. "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," the quarterback told lawmakers.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement disorder that causes nerve cells in the brain to weaken and die, leading to symptoms that include problems with movement, tremors, stiffness, and impaired balance, according to the National Institutes of Health.

While Parkinson's disease is not directly fatal, it can contribute to other health complications and significantly shorten life expectancy.

Favre played in the NFL for 20 seasons. He led the Green Bay Packers for 16 seasons, winning them Super Bowl XXXI in 1997.

Favre also played for the New York Jets and took the Minnesota Vikings to the 2009 NFC Championship game, losing to the New Orleans Saints in overtime.

Tuesday's hearing

Mississippi is among the poorest states in the U.S. However, the Mississippi Department of Human Services allowed millions of welfare dollars to go to well-connected people from 2016 to 2019, according to the state's auditor, Shad White.

During that time, Favre improperly received $1.1 million for no-show speaking engagements from a nonprofit organization that used welfare funds approved by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, according to White.

Favre has since repaid the $1.1 million, but he still owes nearly $730,000 in interest, White said.

Favre portrayed himself as a victim of the misspending scandal Tuesday.

"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," Favre said.

Favre is not facing criminal charges but is involved in several lawsuits over the scandal.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.