Brett Favre Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis During Congressional Hearing

Brett Favre announced 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, which was discussing “restrictions” on the distribution of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. Nearly $8 million went to Favre, a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, and Prevacus, a defunct pharmaceutical company backed by the NFL quarterback.

Favre, who played 20 seasons in the NFL, including 321 consecutive regular season and playoff games, said during a 2022 interview on The Bubba Army radio show that he estimated he suffered “thousands” of concussions during his football career.

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that causes brain deterioration and motor skills. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, more than one million people in the United States are living with the disease, and nearly 90,000 people are diagnosed each year.

This story is being updated.