1969-present
Latest News: Brett Favre Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease
Former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion Brett Favre stated during a September 24 congressional hearing he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
According to The Los Angeles Times, the 54-year-old spoke in front of the House Ways and Means Committee for a hearing about welfare accountability and reform, including allegations he and others used Mississippi state funds for personal and corporate gains. He discussed his support and investment in Prevacus, a drug company working to create a concussion treatment, when he revealed his health update.
“I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me, because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. This is also a cause dear to my heart,” Favre said.
The Cleveland Clinic defines Parkinson’s disease as a degenerative brain condition that can cause symptoms such as tremors and balance problems. Boxing great Muhammad Ali, actor Michael J. Fox, and musician Ozzy Osbourne are among the notable figures who have been diagnosed with the disorder.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, individuals suffering a single concussion during their lifetime have a 57 percent greater chance of developing the disease. Back in 2018, Farve said he was officially diagnosed with only “three or four” concussions during his football career but could have experienced hundreds more.
Who Is Brett Favre?
NFL quarterback Brett Favre attended the University of Southern Mississippi and, after a stellar college career, he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1991 NFL draft. Following his trade to the Green Bay Packers the next year, Favre led the franchise to victory in 1997’s Super Bowl XXXI. He was also named the league’s MVP three years in a row. After shorter stints with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, Favre retired from football after the 2010 season. The Mississippi resident revealed he has Parkinson’s in September 2024.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Brett Lorenzo Favre
BORN: October 10, 1969
BIRTHPLACE: Gulfport, Mississippi
SPOUSE: Deanna Favre (1996-present)
CHILDREN: Brittany and Breleigh
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra
HEIGHT: 6 ft. 2 in.
Early Life and College
Brett Lorenzo Favre in Gulfport, Mississippi, on October 10, 1969. The second of four children, Favre grew up in the wilds of bayou country, hunting and fishing with his three brothers.
In school, Favre showed a passion and talent for baseball and football like his siblings. Initially, at least, he seemed to be a better baseball player, as Favre took a spot in the starting rotation for Hancock North Central in the eighth grade.
But as the son of a tough-nosed football coach, Favre demonstrated a gift in his other sport as well. Big and strong, Favre played quarterback throughout his years at Hancock North Central, where his father was his high school coach. But the young player’s talent drew little notice or praise from college scouts.
When it came time to pick a school, Favre chose the University of Southern Mississippi, in large part because it was the only college to offer him a scholarship. As a college player, Favre packed a toughness his teammates easily admired, not to mention his propensity for late-game heroics. The young QB also set several school records, setting the stage for his dominant NFL career.
NFL Career: Super Bowl Win and More
In the 1991 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons chose Favre with the 33rd overall selection. He took just a few snaps for the Falcons as a rookie. Throughout the year, the franchise was at odds over what the future held for their new player, so when the Green Bay Packers offered the club a first-round pick for the backup quarterback, the Falcons took the deal.
MVP with the Green Bay Packers
Favre went on to have a remarkable run with the Packers. He turned around the struggling but once-proud franchise into a perennial winner while establishing himself as one of the game’s best quarterbacks. Over the course of 16 seasons with the franchise, Favre led the team to a pair of Super Bowls, winning one in 1997, and became the first NFL player to win three straight MVP awards.
Additionally, Favre started every single Packer game from September 20, 1992, to January 20, 2008. Overall, Favre’s ironman streak ran an amazing 297 games, an NFL record.
Trade to New York Jets
In 2008, the Packers traded Favre, who’d waffled on whether to retire, to the New York Jets. While his 2008 season with the Jets started out well, the team lost four of their last five games, including their final game against the Miami Dolphins, and they missed the playoffs.
In April 2009, Favre was released from his contract with the Jets, freeing him to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. The rejuvenated veteran topped 4,000 passing yards and threw 33 touchdowns against just seven interceptions, guiding the Vikings to a 12-4 record and a spot in the NFC Championship Game. At the end of the year, Favre was named to his 11th Pro Bowl.
Favre returned to Minnesota in 2010 for what would become a disappointing season for the quarterback and the club. He retired in January 2011, having established NFL records for passing yards (71,838) and touchdowns (508).
Substance Abuse
Early in his NFL career, Favre developed a dependence on painkillers to bounce back from on-field injuries. A month in rehab wasn’t enough to quell the habit, and the quarterback began ingesting up to 15 Vicodin pills per day even as he was putting up MVP numbers.
After suffering a seizure that might have been related to his Vicodin intake, Favre announced in May 1996 he was entering the NFL’s substance-abuse program. He managed to overcome his painkiller addiction—the Packers won the Super Bowl after Favre returned—but continued to struggle with problematic drinking, leading to another stint in rehab in 1998.
Post-NFL Life: Sqor, Welfare Scandal, and More
After retiring, Favre resumed a quiet life in Mississippi. In 2012, he was hired as an assistant football coach at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg. He was asked by the St. Louis Rams to return to the NFL the following October, but he declined their offer. Favre admitted to the media around this time that he was suffering from some memory loss, which he partially attributed to the many injuries he sustained during his pro football career.
One of the greatest players in Green Bay’s storied history, Favre was honored by his old team with induction into the Packers Hall of Fame and a number retirement ceremony in 2015. The following year, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Outside of football, Favre joined the board of directors for Sqor, a burgeoning social network that aimed to connect athletes with fans, in 2013. In late January 2018, it was revealed that the former football great and his partners were being sued for more than $16 million by an investor, over claims that Sqor had misrepresented its social reach and projected income.
Mississippi Welfare Scandal
Favre found himself mired another controversy in May 2020, when it was reported that the Mississippi Department of Human Services had misspent nearly $100 million in welfare funds, with $1.1 million of that money sent to the NFL icon for a series of speaking engagements that never took place.
Favre, who insisted he was unaware of where the money came from or that he had failed to meet any contractual obligations, promised to repay the entire $1.1 million.
Wife and Children
In 1996, Favre married his high school sweetheart Deanna Tynes. Brett and Deanna first met when they were both 14 years old. The couple has two children together: daughters Brittany, who was born in February 1989, and Breleigh, born in July 1999.
Deanna was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and underwent a lumpectomy and chemotherapy, according to People. She created the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation to raise money and awareness for the disease.
Net Worth
Celebrity Net Worth estimates Favre’s total fortune at around $100 million as of May 2024.
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