Brett Favre
Former NFL player Brett Favre speaks onstage during day 3 of SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIV on January 31, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Brett Favre announced he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

"Sadly, I also lost my investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others," Favre said during the House hearing on Tuesday. "As I'm sure you'll understand, while it's too late for me - I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's - this is also a cause dear to my heart. Recently, the doctor running the company pleaded guilty to taking TANF money for his own use."

The Parkinson's Foundation defines the disease as a "neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately the dopamine-producing ("dopaminergic") neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra."

"Symptoms start slowly. The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand or sometimes a foot or the jaw. Tremor is common in Parkinson's disease," the Mayo Clinic added. "But the disorder also may cause stiffness, slowing of movement and trouble with balance that raises the risk of falls."

The 54-year-old former quarterback, alongside others, testified in front of the House Ways and Means Committee regarding welfare accountability.

Farve - who spent his final two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings - had previously been accused of pushing Mississippi officials to funnel welfare funds into a project set to build an athletic facility, per 'C-SPAN.'

Brett FavreBrett Favre Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesFarve opened his statement, revealing his recent diagnosis and maintaining his innocence regarding the aforementioned allegations.

"When you have ringing of the ears, seeing stars, that's a concussion," Favre told the 'Today' show, according to 'ESPN.' "And if that is a concussion, I've had hundreds, maybe thousands, throughout my career, which is frightening."
The Mississippi native played in the NFL for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. From 1992 to 2010, he had 321 career consecutive starts - the most in league history, including 297 regular season games. He was also the first NFL quarterback to obtain 70,000 yards, 10,000 passes, and victories over all 32 teams.

Originally published in Enstarz.