Packers legend Brett Favre reveals Parkinson's disease diagnosis

Green Bay Packers great Brett Favre managed to etch his name in the annals of NFL history on the back of arguably the strongest arm the game has ever seen and a cavalier attitude that helped him win three consecutive MVP awards. However, when asked about his defining trait, many will still point to his unrivaled durability.

Favre started 321 consecutive games, including 297 regular season contests, during his time with the Packers, Jets and Vikings. While he was a true Ironman, it appears as though there's a chance two decades of extremely hard hits to the head and body may be starting to take their toll on the aging quarterback.

Testifying at a Congressional hearing on welfare misspending and reform after he was infamously accused of having siphoned away money meant for Mississippi's welfare fund to non-welfare causes, Favre said that he has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Favre is just 54 years old.

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable movements like shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with standing up straight. The news comes as a bit of a shock to many, as Favre had been seen in public without clear signs he was suffering from the disease.

Packers legend Brett Favre diagnosed with Parkinson's disease

Favre has said in the past that he suffered multiple concussions and has dealt with memory loss as a result of his playing days. Favre appeared in a public service announcement in 2021 that warned against playing tackle football before 14 years old, while having mused in the past about possibly suffering from CTE.

The 11-time Pro Bowl player has thrown for over 71,000 yards and 508 touchdowns in his professional career while dubiously leading all of NFL history in interceptions with 338. Favre led the league in touchdown passes four times, took his team to the Super Bowl twice, and won it once in 1996.

Since retiring, Favre and former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant have come under fire for allegedly diverting $5 million in money meant for Mississippi's welfare fund toward a new volleyball facility at Southern Mississippi University and a biotech startup with whom Favre had already invested money.

Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and one of the best to ever wear Green Bay's colors. Parkinson's can be a painful disease, and our thoughts go out to anyone who has felt the effects of this sickness.