“I’m Trying to Make It a Little Uncomfortable for Myself”: Brett Favre on How He’s Coping With Parkinson’s Disease

For the first time since publicly opening up about his health, Brett Favre has shared a clear picture of what he does every day to fight Parkinson’s disease. The 56-year-old was diagnosed in 2024, a revelation that first surfaced during congressional testimony before he later addressed it more directly.

Since then, the Hall of Fame quarterback has tried to be candid about how he is slowly managing his condition despite the toll it has taken on him. Recently, this “toll” was briefly misunderstood.

At the start of January this year, Favre, on his podcast, acknowledged there is no known cure for Parkinson’s. Instantly, social media posts began claiming that the former NFL star had “given up hope.” And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Favre later clarified, “Contrary to reports, I have not given up hope… Just like I never gave up on the gridiron… not going to start now.”

Now, weeks later, the Packers legend has decided to open up more about his fitness by revealing how he tries to make things “a little uncomfortable” to keep his biceps intact. “I wouldn’t say I’m always in shape,” Favre began (via 4th & Favre), adding that his current exercise routines primarily hover around functional training and cardio movements.

“My number one thing to do is bike… I’m not gonna bike in the Tour de France, don’t get me wrong,” he said. Despite his humility, Favre’s biking volume is staggering. Over the past year, he has logged roughly 6,300 miles on a bike, splitting his rides between indoor setups and outdoor routes, mostly around his home state of Mississippi.

But for him, the achievement doesn’t lie in these numbers. For him, it’s about repetition. It’s about consistently creating enough strain to force his body to respond. “I try to do something every day. It’s difficult, but I try to keep everything working and flexible as best as possible,” Favre said.

That philosophy extends to his weight room, too, though in a much different form than his playing days. The NFL icon no longer lifts to survive 16-game seasons: “I’m not trying to stay on the field anymore. I’m trying to function every day better.”

His strength work is minimal by design, featuring light dumbbells and basic movements like curls and shoulder presses. “It’s just maintaining… One set. Keep everything working,” he explained. “I try to make it a little uncomfortable on myself most of the time. Whether it’s the bike or a weight circuit, I do try to push myself a little bit.”

The science behind this peculiar routine stems from medical advice. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback revealed that five different specialists, including his local doctor, all had the same advice for him: “The number one thing you can do is exercise.”

All told, Favre’s latest podcast appearance shows how patient he is with his recovery. While he does know he might never get cured from this condition, the efforts he puts in to keep his hope alive are commendable. This is what Champions are made of, and Brett Favre continues to prove it throughout his life.