Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre on Tuesday broke his silence about allegations that he was involved in a Mississippi welfare fraud case. Favre denied knowing that money he helped raise for a volleyball center came from funds designated for welfare recipients.
His statement, which he provided exclusively to Fox News Digital, caught many people’s attention with one particular line: “I have been unjustly smeared in the media.”
That comment has reopened a heated debate about Favre and how the media has portrayed his alleged role in the scandal. Some say the press has gone easy on the star, while others suggest Favre is deflecting blame with the remark.
Favre has been accused of taking $5 million from Mississippi’s welfare fund to help build a volleyball and wellness facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, where Favre played football and his daughter plays volleyball. Mississippi Auditor Shad White has also alleged that the Hall of Famer took $1 million in welfare funds for speaking engagements that he did not attend.
“He’s not getting smeared. He got caught,” Tristan Snell, a lawyer and former New York state assistant attorney general, wrote on Twitter.
Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM
During Wednesday’s edition of Undisputed on Fox Sports 1, hosts Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe were very critical of Favre’s statement.
“The media didn’t do this. The media didn’t force you to take this money. The media did not force you to try to pretend like you’re philanthropic,” Sharpe said.
Sharpe added, “If I got a problem with the media, they tried to clean your dirty behind up.”
Sharpe’s comments were echoed by many people on social media who feel the press still gives the Green Bay Packers legend a pass to instead focus on the actions of Black athletes.
This week, several people brought up Favre while discussing Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams being charged with misdemeanor assault after pushing a photographer after Monday night’s NFL game. Favre was also mentioned by people writing about Draymond Green of the NBA‘s Golden State Warriors, who was fined for punching a teammate.
“Ridiculous. Meanwhile Brett Favre is living his best life,” writer Wajahat Ali said on Twitter in regards to Adams’ charges.
“Davante Adams pushing someone down and Draymond punching his teammate were wrong,” Robert Griffin III, a former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, wrote. “But lets focus our attention on Brett Favre and the evil of stealing millions from the poorest people in our country in Mississippi.”
Davante Adams pushing someone down and Draymond punching his teammate were wrong. But lets focus our attention on Brett Favre and the evil of stealing millions from the poorest people in our country in Mississippi.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 12, 2022
“They reporting more on Davante Adams pushing over the camera man than Brett Favre stealing from the poor but I guess I’m tripping,” former NFL cornerback Charles James II tweeted.
They reporting more on Davante Adams pushing over the camera man than Brett Favre stealing from the poor but I guess I’m tripping
— Charles James II (@CJDeuce_) October 11, 2022
Favre did have some defenders, including one person who commented on Griffin’s tweet.
“Bruh…that’s the problem with you guys in the media. The whole Favre thing isn’t set in stone. Still a lot of unknown going on there. Yeah, if it’s determined that he indeed stole from people then let’s focus on it,” the message read.
Newsweek reached out to Favre’s representative and the Mississippi state auditor for comment.
