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Brett Favre's health struggles—Is the NFL doing enough to protect its legends from long-term damage?

When parents send their young kids to play football, they sometimes get terrified of the physical nature of the game. More often than not, players develop a health condition in their later years after retirement. And when you’ve played for 2 decades in the world’s toughest and biggest football league, the probability of an injury gets high. It’s Brett Favre, and his recent disclosures have stunned everyone.

The legendary quarterback was testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee in Congress about an alleged misuse of funds. While answering the questions, he answered, “Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.” Wait, what? No one had even thought that he was struggling with such serious health issues.

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However, Favre has suffered many injuries throughout his career. He once claimed that he suffered more than 1000 concussions in his career. Three times, he has been knocked unconscious by the hits. But he was a beast. In 2004, when he suffered a concussion against the New York Giants, he re-entered the game and even threw a touchdown pass. The team had to force him to sit down.

That wasn’t the only time he made a game-decider play after an injury. The list is long.

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Brett Favre’s miraculous performances after getting injured

Known for the ‘Iron Man’ streak, the former quarterback is the first one to defeat all 32 teams in the league. But it required a lion’s heart. In 1993, he was playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and sustained a deep thigh bruise which could make sitting painful. But he remained on the field and the next play, Favre made the game-winning touchdown pass.

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Brett Favre's health struggles—Is the NFL doing enough to protect its legends from long-term damage?

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In 1995, he severely sprained his left ankle against the Minnesota Vikings. The average recovery time for such injuries is 2-3 months. But given ruthless Brett Favre is, he returned against the Chicago Bears in the next game and set a career-high quarterback rating. That same year, he was knocked out twice against the Pittsburgh Steelers but remained in the game and led the Packers to victory. The QB coughed up blood after the game.

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In 2010, a sprained right shoulder forced him to miss the game, breaking his record of the most consecutive starts. The various biceps, ankles, and nerves shortened his NFL years. And he retired after that season.

His exploits in the league earned him the nickname ‘The Gunslinger.’ And he was tough. Having so many injuries, he made many records that were unthinkable. He truly is an inspiration for the upcoming young players.

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