Green Bay Packers' Icon Brett Favre Opens Up About Parkinson’s Diagnosis

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

Green Bay Packers NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has been recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He shared this news in front of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee in September 2024.

Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative brain condition that can trigger symptoms such as tremors, slowness of movement, muscle stiffness, and impaired coordination. People who have suffered a singular concussion during their lifetime have a 57% greater chance of developing Parkinson’s Disease. In 2018 Favre was asked how many concussions he has suffered and answered three to four, but he believes that he suffered more than 1,000 concussions in his 20th NFL season. Favre spoke about his diagnosis saying, “I'm sure you’ll understand why it's too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

Brett Favre was born on October 10, 1969, in Gulfport, Mississippi. He grew up loving to fish and hunt with his two other brothers Jeff Favre and Scott Favre. Favre also has a sister named Brandi Favre. Favre attended Hancock North Central High School and showcased his talents throughout the years as the quarterback for the school. His father, Irvin Favre, was a down-to-earth football coach, who worked for the school. Favre drew little praise or notice from college coaches and scouts, but the University of Mississippi showed interest in him and offered Favre a full-ride scholarship. He set several school records at the University of Mississippi that paved the way for him to dominate his NFL career.

In the 1991 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Favre with the 33rd pick. Favre only played a few snaps for the Falcons, then got traded the next season to the Green Bay Packers for the first-round pick of the draft. Favre went on to have a dominant run for the Packers. He turned the Packers around into a winning franchise while becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He led the Packers to two Super Bowls, winning in 1997 and falling short in 1998 against the Broncos. Favre became the first NFL player to win three straight MVP awards. He played a series of 302 games within 20 seasons in the NFL. Throughout his career with Parkinson’s, Favre sustained memory issues that caused him to delay his thinking and speech.

Brett Favre is considered one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, known for his toughness, longevity, and perseverance in battling Parkinson's disease.

[Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wisconsin Public Radio; Biography]