Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre revealed during a recent congressional hearing that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological disorder that affects one’s movement and can result in mental health issues.
Favre was the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback from 1992 to 2007, and before he came out of his first retirement prior to the 2008 season, Aaron Rodgers, who was then his backup, was promoted to the QB1 spot.
Favre asked for a trade and was sent to the New York Jets during the 2008 offseason, and though Rodgers’ relationship with his former teammate has at times been in question, he apparently still has some good feelings toward him.
Asked about Favre’s revelation regarding his health, the current Jets quarterback expressed his concern for him and his wife while acknowledging the realities of aging and the aftereffects of playing football.
“Yeah, it’s tough. … I feel bad for him and Deanna,” Rodgers said, via Paul Andrews Esden Jr. of The Score 1260. “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 that can be a reality at some point. We just kind of hope medicine at some point can catch up and either make the symptoms easier or eradicate some of these issues that we have.”
#Jets QB Aaron Rodgers seemed to get really emotional when asked about his former teammate, @BrettFavre, getting diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
‘Yeah it’s tough’ + ‘I feel bad for him & Deanna [Favre’s wife]’ + ‘unfortunately it’s part of our game. That’s part of the risk of… pic.twitter.com/Rz2nPCI9KR
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) September 25, 2024
The reality of football players suffering brain trauma has become a contentious issue in recent years, especially as more and more evidence comes to light about the likelihood of such athletes suffering from that injury.
Once Rodgers took over for Favre with the Packers, he quickly became one of the better QBs in the league, and he led the storied franchise to a Super Bowl championship in the 2010 season, just his third year as a starter.
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