Brett Favre opens up on ‘frustrating’ health worry that led to Parkinson’s diagnosis

Brett Favre revealed the moment he knew something was wrong before his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in early January.

The legendary NFL quarterback — who went public with the news while testifying during a hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday — explained he decided to see a doctor when he began struggling to get his dominant right arm through a jacket hole.

“I felt my arm — the strength was there, but I could not guide it. And it was the most frustrating thing,” Favre told TMZ in an interview the outlet conducted with the former quarterback in August. He revealed his diagnosis at the time and asked TMZ not to publish the news.

Favre said his right arm would get “stuck,” and when he would push it down, “It would be right back there” seconds later — adding that he couldn’t hold a screwdriver steady with one hand.

Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time. There is no cure for it. 

After his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Favre recalled five specialists telling him it was likely a result of the hits he suffered in his 20-year NFL career.

“They all said the same thing. 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,’” Favre said. “Well, hell, I wrote the book on head trauma.”

Favre has been open about his concussion history.

In 2022, he said he suffered “thousands” of concussions in his pro career during an appearance on “The Bubba Army” radio show.

Before that, Favre said his short-term memory and word retrieval skills had deteriorated during an interview on “TODAY” with Megyn Kelly in 2018. He was 48 at the time.

“I wonder if that’s what it is or do I have early stages of CTE. I don’t know,” he said at the time. 

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head and repeated concussions — and has been found in a number of pro football players.

Favre played in a record 299 consecutive games in his 302-game NFL career. 

He won a Super Bowl with Green Bay in 1997 and earned three consecutive MVP awards from 1995-97, as well as 11 Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro nods.

Favre revealed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis while testifying at a congressional hearing on welfare misspending and reform Tuesday. 

His testimony came after he was linked to the Mississippi welfare scandal in 2020, when he and others were accused of misusing welfare money on personal projects — including costs for a new volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Favre is a Southern Miss alum and his daughter was a volleyball player there. 

Later on Tuesday, Favre issued a statement on his social media pages thanking his wife, Deanna, and their family and friends for supporting him through the diagnosis.

“First, I want to thank God for all He has done in my life,” he began. “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.”