How Old Is Brett Favre? What You Need to Know About the Former Packers Quarterback, His Parkinson’s Diagnosis, Concussions, Welfare Scandal

(This article has been updated with new information and a new photo gallery.)

While testifying before a congressional committee investigating the misuse of federal welfare funds, Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre on Tuesday admitted that he suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

People who suffer brain injuries, such as concussions (which Favre experienced during his 20-year Hall of Fame career), are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests.

Parkinson’s disease is the same disease that Michael J. Fox has been struggling with for decades.

Here’s what we know about Favre after his Parkinson’s disease confession.

Brett Favre age. How old is Brett Favre?

Brett Favre is 54. He will turn 55 on Oct. 10. Parkinson’s disease usually appears in people in their 50s or later, the Mayo Clinic reports.

Brett Favre reveals he has Parkinson’s disease

Favre said Tuesday that he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Favre did not say how long he has had the nervous system disorder.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors, slowness of movement, muscle stiffness, poor posture and balance, loss of automatic movements, changes in speech, changes in writing, and non-motor symptoms.

Risk factors include age, genetics, male gender, and exposure to toxins.

Parkinson’s disease was covered by the 2017 NFL concussion settlement, along with ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Do concussions cause Parkinson’s disease?

A 2020 study also found a link between concussions and brain and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia. A study by Family Medicine and Community Health found that a single concussion increased the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 57% and dementia by 72%.

“I can only hope and pray that when I’m 55 or 60, I don’t suffer from some of the same things that some of these guys that are portrayed in the movies have experienced,” Favre said in a video clip about concussions before an appearance on “Megyn Kelly Today” in 2018.

How many concussions has Brett Favre had in his career?

Kelly opened the interview by asking Favre to name the number of concussions he’s had in his career. “Three or four, maybe, as far as I know,” Favre said.

But the total number is much higher, Favre added.

“When we learn about concussions, the term that’s often used in football and other sports is that I got dinged,” Favre explained. “As Dr. (Bennet) Omalu, who Will Smith played in the movie ‘Concussion,’ a dinged is a concussion, when you have ringing in your ears, you see stars. That’s a concussion, and if it’s a concussion, I’ve had hundreds, probably thousands, of them over the course of my career. Which is scary.”

Brett Favre’s NFL Stats

Favre played for 20 years in the NFL.

He established himself as an Iron Man throughout his career, entering the NFL where he played in a record-breaking 321 consecutive games over 18½ seasons from 1992 to 2010.

He began his career with the Atlanta Falcons before being traded to the Packers in his sophomore year, a trade that changed the course of the organization. He became the first player in NFL history to win three consecutive MVP awards and turned the Packers into a perennial contender. Favre led Green Bay to a Super Bowl title after the 1996 season, its first in 35 years, and another Super Bowl appearance in 1997.

After coming out of retirement in 2008, the Packers traded him to the New York Jets. He spent one season there and then played the final two years of his career with the Minnesota Vikings.

He retired after the 2010 season at the age of 41. At the time of his retirement, Favre had the most touchdowns in NFL history with 508. That record has since been broken and he is fourth on the list behind Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. Nicknamed the Gunslinger, Favre was never afraid to take risks in the passing game. His 336 interceptions are the most in NFL history.

In 2016, Favre was inducted into the American Football Hall of Fame.

Brett Favre’s welfare money scandal

Despite all his success on the field, his reputation suffered due to his alleged involvement in a welfare scandal in his home state of Mississippi that resulted in $77 million in federal funds intended for needy families being diverted to other purposes.

Favre has not been charged with a crime in the case, and the former quarterback has denied any wrongdoing. But he was a central figure in the investigations and is one of 43 people sued by the Mississippi Department of Human Services to recover additional funds.

Favre made the health announcement while testifying before the Capitol Ways and Means Committee, which is investigating how states spend funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

More than $5 million in federal TANF money went toward a new volleyball facility at Favre’s alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi. The texts show that Favre worked to raise money for the facility and contacted two people (Human Services Director John Davis and nonprofit executive Nancy New) who were arrested for their role in misusing money intended for needy families.

“I wanted to help my alma mater and my community,” Favre said Tuesday. “I had no idea anything was wrong with the way the state funded the project, especially since it was publicly approved by multiple state agencies and multiple attorneys, including the attorney general.”

He continued: “Unfortunately, I also lost my investment in a company that I believe was developing a breakthrough concussion drug that I thought would help others. I’m sure you understand, while for me it’s too late as I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. This is also a cause close to my heart.”

The company was a biomedical startup called Prevacus. The company received money from New. Prevacus founder Jake VanLandingham pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Prevacus and VanLandingham are in a lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Human Services Department.

Timeline: Brett Favre’s Involvement in Mississippi Welfare Fraud

Favre said he wants to establish safeguards for TANF funds so “what’s happening in Mississippi doesn’t happen again.”

“The challenges my family is facing because some government officials in Mississippi have failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse and are baselessly trying to pin the blame on me,” Favre claimed Tuesday. “These challenges have damaged my good name. These challenges are worse than anything I faced in football.”

Brett Favre News: Watch Former Packers Quarterback Speak at Congressional Hearing

The Brett Favre Story, Southern Miss

Favre grew up in Kiln, Mississippi, and attended Hancock North Central High School, where his father, Irvin, was his coach.

He then went on to be a star at Southern Mississippi in college. His number 4 is retired by the university.

Favre was drafted by the Falcons in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft.

FAVRE’S STORY: Brett Favre’s Wild Ride, Original Report

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How old is Brett Favre? Age, Parkinson’s, welfare money scandal