Brett Favre has one of the most complicated legacies in professional sports history. He is arguably the greatest iron man to ever play professional football. He didn't miss a start from 1992 through 2010. During that span, he won three MVPs, reached two Super Bowls, and won a Lombardi trophy with the Green Bay Packers. He made life hell for the Chicago Bears, dominating the rivalry for most of his career. He set almost every passing record to exist and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
He also earned a reputation for being difficult to deal with regarding the late stages of his career. A sexual harassment scandal followed him from his brief stint with the New York Jets. More recently, he was embroiled in an ugly scheme that cheated poor Mississippi citizens out of millions of welfare dollars. Suffice it to say that Favre is a flawed human being. Sadly, he is now a sick one. News came out in the past 24 hours that the legendary quarterback was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Brett Favre joins a long list of athletes in this category.
The most famous by far is the late great Muhammad Ali. Kirk Gibson, Lou Groza, and former Chicago Bulls 1970s star Jerry Sloan are others. It is a terrifying brain disorder which causes causes uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Michael J. Fox of Back To The Future fame did a documentary that showcased his battle with the disease. It is something most wouldn't wish on their worst enemies.
One can only feel sympathy for Brett Favre. After so many years of surviving the brutal physicality of the NFL, it is this that will ultimately chip away at his physical greatness. How this happened is unknown. Parkinson's can be caused by several factors, from genetics to age, environmental toxins, or head trauma. Most would probably point to the latter in his case. Either way, one can only hope he is able to combat this with the same determination he showed during his two-decade career.
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