Brett Favre revealed on Tuesday that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease as he testified on Capitol Hill about welfare reform.
Favre had actually talked about his health battle with TMZ Sports in August. The outlet said Wednesday it was asked not to divulge information but received permission this week to publish its interview with the Pro Football Hall of Famer.
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Packers quarterback Brett Favre looks to throw the ball after tripping during the Chicago Bears game, Sept. 10, 2006, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Mark Hoffman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
The Super Bowl champion quarterback detailed meetings he had with doctors.
“I saw five specialists. They all said, first of all, it doesn’t matter where you got it,” Favre said. “You got it. It ain’t going away. But, if you wanna know, 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 his head trauma. Well, hell, I wrote the book on head trauma.”
Favre said he was diagnosed in January and at that point he had minor symptoms. He said one doctor asked him why he decided to get checked out.
Packers quarterback Brett Favre calls signals during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Nov. 18, 2007. (Jeff Hanisch-USA Today Sports)
“I had two symptoms and they went on for about a year – I would consider to be minor. I would be doing something and my right arm, I would notice, would just be stuck. I was like, ‘What, that’s weird.’ I would put my arm down and go about my way. When I would forget about it, it would be right back there. That went on for a year.
“Not long after I first noticed the arm, I’m right-handed, the strength in both hands and arms are fine, but I’m right-handed, and I got a screwdriver, and you would think, right-handed, I could screw something in. Well, I would eventually have to get my left hand on to guide it.
“But really, the weirdest one was like, a long sleeve shirt or jacket. I would go put my right arm in it and I couldn’t get it through the hole for nothing. I felt my arm. The strength was there. But I could not guide it and it was the most frustrating thing.”
After breaking the NFL record for career touchdown passes, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre hoists its recipient, Greg Jennings, during the Minnesota Vikings game, Sept. 30, 2007, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network)
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He said eventually he just went to get checked out and was diagnosed with the disease.
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