NFL quarterback Brett Favre hasn’t been getting the best press in recent years, a fact that has no doubt weighed heavy on both the Green Bay Packers favorite and his wife, Deanna.
Long before the current scandal linked Favre to a welfare fraud case, the 55-year-old former footballer was facing concerning allegations. They started in 2010 when Jet’s gameday host Jenn Sterger accused the former quarterback of sending inappropriate messages to her, but an investigation by the NFL was unable to prove he sent the images in question. He was forced to pay $50,000 for impeding the investigation, however.
Then, in 2020, the scandal currently weighing Favre down came to light. That’s when an investigation into what the Mississippi state auditor has called “the largest public embezzlement case in state history” first began, and the years since have seen Favre’s name frequently linked to the welfare fraud case.
This controversy didn’t disappear with a $50,000 check, and Favre’s been deeply embroiled in it for years now. In 2024, he was even asked to testify for the House Ways and Means Committee, which is exploring whether or not he diverted funds intended for federal welfare to non-welfare-related causes.
The case is still ongoing — Favre testified in late September of 2024 — but conversations about fraud abruptly changed gears when the footballer’s medical issues came to light. While in the midst of testifying, Favre revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a chronic brain disorder that affects muscle movement.
The diagnosis shifted the conversation from the welfare fraud case to Favre’s health, and once again prompted questions about his wife. Deanna Favre stood by her husband through several damaging controversies and now his fraud investigation, and with news that he’s also grappling with Parkinson’s, people are more impressed than ever by the woman at his side.
Who is Deanna Favre?
Deanna Favre’s dedication to her husband has seen her support him through massive highs and challenging lows across a full 40 years. The pair have (mostly) been together since 1983, and four decades on they’re still going strong. That’s despite several breakups over the years, and seemingly constant hardship, from Favre’s controversies and legal hurdles to Deanna’s battle with breast cancer and now the NFL player’s Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Through it all, Deanna has remained, in Favre’s own words, the “strongest and most courageous person” out there. She’s an athlete too — she even went to college on a basketball scholarship — but her career in basketball was cut short when she became pregnant with Favre’s first child at 19. The following years were rocky, but eventually, Deanna moved to Green Bay to be with him, and within a year they were tying the knot.
A few years later, the couple welcomed their second child, and things were seemingly smooth sailing for a good decade. Then, in 2004, when she was only 35 years old, Deanna was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her battle with the disease saw her undergo both a lumpectomy and chemotherapy, but she came out the other side cancer-free.
In 2010, just a few years later, the Favre’s became grandparents. Their older daughter, Brittany, welcomed her first child in April of the year, later adding two more to the mix. With her little ones to keep track of and their other daughter, Breleigh, in her mid-20s, Deanna has plenty to keep her busy and distracted from her husband’s protracted legal issues.