Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre revealed Tuesday at a hearing on federal welfare reform that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Favre, 54, spoke before the House Ways and Means Committee in Washington.
The one-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP addressed the need for “guardrails” when it comes to dispersing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds before revealing his diagnosis when discussing Prevacus, a now-defunct drug company that had Favre as an investor.
“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 in his prepared testimony. “As I’m sure you’ll understand, 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.”
Per the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, over 1 million people in the United States live with the disease, and nearly 90,000 are diagnosed annually.
An 11-time Pro Bowl selection, Favre threw for 71,838 yards with 508 touchdowns and 336 interceptions in 302 career games (298 starts) with the Atlanta Falcons (1991), Green Bay Packers (192-2007), New York Jets (2008) and Minnesota Vikings (2009-10).