Fresh revelations have surfaced regarding Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre's Parkinson's diagnosis. Favre disclosed his condition during a congressional hearing on Tuesday. He had previously discussed the diagnosis with TMZ Sports in August but requested the outlet to withhold publication at the time. Favre granted TMZ permission to release the story on Wednesday, following the public revelation of his diagnosis. The 54-year-old stated that he consulted with five doctors before receiving the diagnosis in January after experiencing symptoms.

"[The doctors] all agreed that if there's no family history, and there isn't on either side of my family, then the first thing we looked at is head trauma," Favre told TMZ. "Well, hell, I practically wrote the book on head trauma." He mentioned his initial concern arose when he struggled to fit his throwing arm through a jacket sleeve. "I felt my arm, the strength was there, but I couldn't guide it," he said. "And it was the most frustrating thing, so those two factors really led me to get it checked."

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who served as Favre's backup at the Green Bay Packers before taking over as starter, expressed his sadness upon hearing the news. "I feel bad for him and [his wife] Deanna, but it's unfortunately part of our game. That's part of the risk of playing, and we all in the back of our mind know that could be a reality at some point," Rodgers said on Wednesday. "We just hope medicine can catch up and either make the symptoms easier or eradicate some of these issues we face."

Favre estimated he may have had over 1,000 concussions during his 20-season NFL career. "When you have ringing in your ears, seeing stars, that's a concussion," Favre told the Today show in 2018. "And if that is a concussion, I've had hundreds, maybe thousands, throughout my career, which is frightening." Favre was renowned for his fearless play, throwing 508 touchdown passes and winning the Super Bowl with the Packers in 1997.

Parkinson's, a degenerative neurological disease affecting movement and causing tremors, speech issues, and poor balance, is linked to concussions. A 2020 study in Family Medicine and Community Health Journal found that a single concussion can increase Parkinson's risk by 57%. Concussions are also associated with other conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative condition linked to repeated head traumas, with symptoms including cognitive impairment, impulsive behavior, depression, suicidal thoughts, short-term memory loss, and emotional instability.

Favre is among several defendants in a 2022 civil suit by Mississippi's Department of Human Services, alleging misuse of welfare funds intended for the state's poorest families under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF). He has not been accused of criminal activity related to the funds. "The challenges my family and I have faced over the last three years – because certain government officials in Mississippi failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably trying to blame me, those challenges have hurt my good name and are worse than anything I faced in football," Favre said at Tuesday's hearing, where Republicans advocated for reforming the federal welfare system to better prevent fraud.

Favre has stated he was unaware the payments he received were from welfare funds and noted his charity had provided millions to children from poor families in Mississippi and Wisconsin, where he played with the Packers. He also mentioned losing an investment in a company he believed was developing a drug to treat concussions. "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," he said.