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Brett Favre, former star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, disclosed Tuesday that he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, The New York Times reports, likely caused by thousands of concussions he suffered through his long career.
Favre made the surprising acknowledgment of the progressively debilitating brain disorder on Tuesday while testifying in front of US Congress about accusations he siphoned federal money meant for people on welfare, according to the NYT.
He said he didn't know the money was meant for poor families and denied allegations he misappropriated the funds, some of which were invested in drug company Prevacus, which was investigating treatment for concussions.
"Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others," he said during the hearing, as reported by NYT. "And I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, this is also a cause dear to my heart."
Setting aside the embezzlement controversy, Favre's admission starkly illustrates the dangers that football players and other athletes face when they suffer head trauma and how that may lead to brain disorders long after they retire from their sporting careers.
Most notably is chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, a brain disorder strongly linked to concussions and which's been grabbing news headlines in recent years due to athletes suffering from it committing acts of murder and suicide.
Researchers have also found a connection between Parkinson's and concussions, but it hasn't attracted the same degree of infamy in sports as CTE.
Patients diagnosed with Parkinson's have trouble moving, balance issues, body stiffness, slurred speech, and tremors. Symptoms get progressively worse over time, along with memory issues and other cognitive problems.
In the case of Favre, he previously admitted a few years ago during a radio interview that he likely suffered from thousands of concussions during his 20-year professional career, not to mention his college playing days.
"Concussions happen all the time," Favre said during the radio segment. "You get tackled and your head hits the turf, you see flashes of light or ringing in your ears but you're able to play — that's a concussion."
"So, based on that, [I've suffered] thousands," he added. "Had to be, because every time my head hit the turf, there was ringing or stars going, flash bulbs... but I was still able to play."
Before revealing his Parkinson's diagnosis, Favre had speculated publicly that his concussions were causing memory loss and speech difficulties.
He's been so concerned about head trauma in sports that he's urged parents to not let their kids play tackle football until they're at least 14 years old.
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