Almost four years have passed since former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been dealing with legal issues. According to a 2021 report, he and former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant stole money from the welfare fund to build a volleyball stadium. There have been no charges filed against Favre or Bryant so far.
Sports analysts and fans have been discussing Favre’s alleged involvement in the scandal for years since the report was released. Shannon Sharpe, whose brother Sterling Sharpe was Favre’s early Packers teammate, is one of these analysts.
As it turns out, the feud between Favre and Sharpe isn’t over.
Former Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre Requests Federal Lawsuit To Be Reopened
Robin Adams of Gridiron Heroics highlighted exactly what is going on with this latest development:
According to USA Today, Favre sued Sharpe for 2022 comments he made regarding Favre’s alleged involvement in stealing money from the poorest population in the United States:
“Sharpe in September 2022 accused the Hall of Fame quarterback of ‘taking from the underserved’ and said he ‘stole money from people that really needed that money’ as part of the huge public corruption case.”
As previously mentioned, Favre has not been charged with any crimes, much less convicted of any. He has, however, repaid $1.1 million to the state of Mississippi for speaking appearances he was paid to make, but never did. A judge also recently ordered him to repay over $700,000 of interest on that sum.
In October of last year, a judge threw out Favre’s lawsuit against the Hall of Fame tight end, saying that Sharpe’s comments were protected by the First Amendment and the right to free speech and of the press.
Favre, however, is not letting the lawsuit go. According to a report by The Independent, Favre and his lawyers are asking a federal appeals court to reinstate the lawsuit against the Hall of Fame tight end:
“Lawyers for retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre will ask a federal appeals court Tuesday to revive a defamation lawsuit Favre filed against a fellow Pro Football of Fame member, former tight end Shannon Sharpe , amid the backdrop of a Mississippi welfare scandal that is one of the state’s largest public corruption cases.
“Favre hopes the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will reinstate the lawsuit.”
Favre also previously sued popular podcast host and ESPN personality Pat McAfee, but dropped the suit after McAfee apologized publicly for his comments.
Sharpe, however, has refused to apologize citing the truth of his words and the need for someone to stand up for the “lowest of the low” in Mississippi.
The Hall-of-Fame quarterback seemingly is refusing to give up on fighting Shannon Sharpe in a defamation lawsuit over those comments years ago.
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