Brett Favre, 54, Reveals His Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis in Emotional Congressional Hearing Moment.Linh

The three-time NFL MVP announced his diagnosis while testifying in front of Congress about his alleged misuse of public funds, which he denies

Brett Favre says he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a stunning revelation made while he was testifying in front of Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 24, about his alleged pocketing of public funds.

The former three-time NFL MVP, 54, appeared in front of Congress amid a Mississippi lawsuit that claims he and dozens of others took money meant to go to welfare programs and instead pocketed it for personal use. Favre has denied the allegations and has not been criminally charged.

The retired Green Bay Packers star was testifying in front of the House Ways and Means Committee about Prevacus, a company researching a cure for concussions, which he had raised money for in recent years. Favre reportedly convinced Mississippi state lawmakers to give him $2 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for the company, which a lawsuit against him claims he instead used for himself.

“Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” Favre reportedly told lawmakers, according to NBC News, ESPN and Fox News.

“This is also a cause dear to my heart. Recently, the doctor running the company pleaded guilty to taking [public] money for his own use,” Favre said.

Parkinson’s is a brain disease that impacts a person’s nervous system, causing uncontrollable physical movements such as shaking, as well as making it difficult to speak, according to the Mayo Clinic. There is currently no cure for the disorder.

The revelation came as Congress was questioning Favre about the Mississippi Department of Human Services’ lawsuit against the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback and 40 others.

The Mississippi lawsuit was filed following an investigation by the state’s auditor, Shad White, which had discovered about $77 million in TANF funds from 2016-2019 allegedly went to projects led by Favre and others instead of to families in need, the Associated Press and NBC News reported last year.

Favre, who has denied the allegations against him, is accused of plotting with ex-Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to use at least $5 million of the funds in order to help build a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater and the school where his daughter played volleyball at the time.