Brett Favre Gives More Details About Diagnosis

Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre gave more details on his recent Parkinson's diagnosis during an exclusive interview with TMZ Sports.

Favre, 54, said he saw five specialists after he would get "stuck" and is suspected to have been diagnosed due to hits he suffered during his 20-year NFL career.

"They all said the same thing," Favre told TMZ Sports. "'If it's not in your family' -- and there's none on either side of my family -- 'then the first thing we look at is head trauma.' Well, hell, I wrote the book on head trauma."

Favre, who had previously claimed to have potentially suffered thousands of concussions during his career, also issued a statement on his social media accounts after publicly revealing his diagnosis during his testimony at a congressional hearing on federal welfare reform Tuesday (September 24).

"First, I want to thank God for all He has done in my life," Favre wrote on his Instagram account. "Next, thanks to Congress for giving me the platform to discuss a much needed TANF reform.

"As you know, I was recently diagnosed w/ Parkinson’s which has been an ordeal. My wife, family, and friends have been supportive and I want to thank them for being there for me.

"To my fans and those wishing well — thank you all for the love.🙏"

The former Super Bowl champion appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee hearing focusing on the need for "guardrails" in the dispersement of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds after a court filing previously revealed that about $8 million initially intended to help poor Mississippi families instead went to himself, a new volleyball facility at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played the sport, and a drug company he backed in 2020.

“Sadly, I also lost my investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others,” Favre said at the House hearing Tuesday. “As I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me—I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s—this is also a cause dear to my heart.”

Favre participated in the recently released documentary Concussed: The American Dream and was candid about suffering numerous concussions during his 20-year NFL career, which included retiring as the all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and quarterback wins -- all of which are now records held by seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady -- and still holding the record for consecutive games played.

“Would I have done it different had I known?” Favre said in the documentary. “I don’t know that.”