Brett Favre is suing both Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee for defamation over comments they made about Favre’s alleged involvement in a welfare fraud scheme, according to a report.
Favre is accusing both Sharpe and McAfee, as well as Mississippi Auditor Shad White, of making “defamatory allegations” when discussing Favre’s alleged part in a scheme that stole $77 million in Mississippi welfare funding, according to DailyMail.com. Favre is seeking damages “including compensation for injury to Favre’s character and reputation.”
“Today, Brett Favre has sued [Sharpe and McAfee],” Favre’s spokesman told DailyMail.com. “Mr. Favre has spent his retirement from the NFL focused, on, among other things, helping people suffering from concussions. Sadly, Shannon and Pat have decided to spend their time making false public statements against Brett.”
Favre allegedly received $1.1 million in welfare funds for speeches he never made, and has also been accused of using welfare funds to pay for a new $5 million volleyball arena at Southern Mississippi. The former quarterback has not been charged in the case, has repaid $1.1 million in debt to the state. He has said he had no knowledge of where the money he received came from.
The crux of Favre’s argument is that both McAfee and Sharpe suggested the Hall of Fame quarterback had knowingly stolen welfare money, which Favre has denied. The lawsuit states that McAfee said Favre “tied the hands of the poor people and took money right out of their pockets.” Sharpe called Favre a “sleazeball” while discussing the allegations and said that Favre “stole money from the people that really needed that money.”
McAfee and Sharpe are both former NFL players who have gone into the media and become known for their candid takes. Sharpe has also found himself in hot water for other reasons recently.
