Former Packers’ QB Brett Favre Reveals His Parkinson’s Diagnosis At Congressional Testimony About His Fraud Case

In a Tuesday hearing to address the misuse of taxpayer funds, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Favre is among 20 others sued in 2022 for what the Mississippi Department of Human Services labeled “gross misuse” of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds.

An audit by state officials found that $5 million in TANF funds was used to build a new volleyball facility for the University of Southern Mississippi – Favre’s alma mater and the institution where his daughter attends and plays the sport. It was also found that another $1.7 million was given to the pharmaceutical company Prevacus, in which Favre was an investor. Prevacus had claimed to have invented a nasal spray that could treat concussions, but the spray was found to be largely ineffective, and the company is no longer in business.

Favre played for 20 NFL seasons and previously shared that he had sustained “thousands” of concussions throughout his career.

Favre argued that state officials had “failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse” and attempted to blame him for their negligence.

“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.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, difficulty with balance or walking, and so on. While it is not fatal, symptoms and effects are often contributing factors to death, and the average life expectancy for someone with Parkinson’s disease is roughly 14.5 years.

Favre said, “This is also a cause dear to my heart. The doctor running the company recently pleaded guilty to taking TANF money for his own use. I believe that I got swept up in a civil lawsuit… 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.”

Favre publicly said that he had repaid $1.1 million to the state of Mississippi. In 2022, he sued for $1 million in a welfare fraud civil suit.