Brett Favre revealed on Tuesday that he was “recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease” during his testimony at a congressional hearing on federal welfare reform.
The Football Hall of Famer was speaking before the House Ways and Means Committee that was discussing “guardrails” regarding dispersing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, which saw nearly $8 million go to Favre, a volleyball stadium at University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, and Prevacus, a defunct drug company back by the longtime NFL quarterback.
“Sadly, I also lost my investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others,” Favre said during the House hearing on Tuesday “As I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me—I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s—this is also a cause dear to my heart.”
Favre, who played 20 NFL seasons, including 321 consecutive regular season and playoff games, said during a 2022 interview on the The Bubba Army radio show that he estimated he suffered “thousands” of concussions during his football career.
Parkinson’s disease is a condition that causes deterioration in the brain and affects motor skills. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, over one million people in the United States live with the disease and nearly 90,000 are diagnosed each year.
This story will be updated.