NFL legend Brett Favre shares worrying health update after Parkinson’s diagnosis

The retired NFL quarterback first revealed his diagnosis during a September 2024 Congressional hearing

Brett Favre has shared a candid update about his Parkinson’s diagnosis and his plans as his condition progresses.

The retired NFL star first revealed his condition in 2024 while testifying before Congress on welfare reform.

In a new interview withTMZ Sports, Favre spoke about his experience with Parkinson’s almost two years later, saying it has “progressed a little faster” than he hoped.

Favre also addressed reports from earlier this month that claimed that he had “given up hope.”

“I have absolutely not given up, and I am fighting till the end,” he told TMZ Sports. “Yes, I have progressed a little faster than I would have hoped at this point, but I’m extremely thankful and blessed!”

As for how he plans on managing both his symptoms and the progression of his Parkinson’s, the former Green Bay Packers quarterback said he would remain active and try to enroll himself in any clinical trials.

Retired NFL legend Brett Favre said his Parkinson’s diagnosis is progressing ‘a little faster’ than he hoped (Getty Images)

Favre plans on continuing to stay active and enrolling himself in any clinical trials for Parkinson’s as there currently is no cure (Getty Images for SiriusXM)

“That’s all I can do,” he said. “No way in hell am I giving up.”

“I’m just praying for a cure for me and millions out there who have the same disease,” the retired NFL player added. “I’m early. Even though it’s been three years, it’s still early in this disease, so I’m holding out hope something can at least stop the progression, if not cure it.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive brain disorder that causes deterioration to the nervous system and daily movement. While there is no cure, symptoms can be treated and managed.

Symptoms of the disease can vary from person to person, but the condition is typically defined by nervous tremors, speech difficulty, and muscle stiffness, according to the Mayo Clinic.

After first revealing his diagnosis in court, Favre said in an interview with TMZ Sports that he received his diagnosis in January 2024 after he began having trouble using his right arm and was unable to hold a screwdriver steady.

Favre said he suspected something was wrong when his right arm would get “stuck.” He said he didn't notice a decrease in strength but was unable to hold a screwdriver with one hand. He said he notified his physician about the problem when he struggled to put on a jacket.

“I felt my arm, the strength was there, but I could not guide it,” he told TMZ Sports. “And it was the most frustrating thing.”