Brett Favre was unsuccessful with his attempt to sue fellow NFL legend Shannon Sharpe last year, but the former Green Bay Packers star is not ready to quit trying.
Favre is seeking to have a federal appeals court reinstate his defamation lawsuit against Sharp, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday. A federal judge in Mississippi dismissed the lawsuit last October, and Favre is hoping for a different decision from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Favre sued Pat McAfee, Sharpe and Mississippi state auditor Shad White in February 2023, accusing all three men of making “defamatory statements” about Favre’s alleged involvement in a welfare fraud scheme. Favre’s lawsuit against Sharpe focused on comments Sharpe made when Sharpe was co-host of “Undisputed” on Fox Sports 1. During one episode, Sharpe called Favre a “sleazeball” and said the former quarterback “stole money from people that really needed that money.”
Sharpe’s lawyers argued that the former NFL tight end’s comments were “based on reported facts and couched in rhetorical hyperbole regarding an issue of public concern about a public figure.” A federal judge in Mississippi dismissed the case and agreed that Sharpe’s commentary was protected by the First Amendment.
Favre allegedly received $1.1 million in welfare funds in his home state of Mississippi for speeches he never made. The Hall of Fame quarterback has also been accused of using welfare funds to pay for a new $5 million volleyball arena at Southern Mississippi. Favre has not been charged in the case but has repaid $1.1 million in debt to the state. He has claimed he had no knowledge of where the money he received came from.
McAfee also criticized Favre over the allegations, but Favre dropped his suit against the popular media personality last year. McAfee essentially took a victory lap on the air after that happened.
