Is Brett Favre still married? Yes — but the road from high school sweethearts to today wasn't pretty
Is Brett Favre still married? The legendary NFL quarterback remains married to his longtime partner, Deanna Favre. The couple has stood together through decades of historic football triumphs despite weathering severe storms, including Brett's 2024 Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaway
- Profile Summary
- Is Brett Favre still married?
- A timeline of Brett and Deanna Favre's relationship journey
- 1983: High school beginnings
- 1989: The couple welcome their first child
- 1996: Brett fights addiction, and the pair get married
- 1999: Second rehab stint and the birth of their second daughter
- 2004: Deanna's breast cancer diagnosis and grief
- 2010: Brett faces a sexting scandal
- 2011: Brett retires from the NFL
- 2020–2023: Brett faces a lawsuit over diversion of public welfare funds
- 2024: Brett reveals his Parkinson's diagnosis
- 2025: Netflix documentary Untold: The Fall of Favre is released
- Why did Deanna Favre stay with Brett?
- FAQs
Key takeaway
- Brett Favre remains married to his wife, Deanna Favre.
- The couple met as teenagers and married on 14 July 1996 and share two adult daughters, Brittany and Breleigh Favre.
- Their marriage has endured addiction, scandal, health battles, and public controversy.
- Deanna survived breast cancer in 2004 and became a prominent health advocate.
- Brett revealed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis in September 2024.
Profile Summary
Full name | Brett Lorenzo Favre |
Nickname | The Gunslinger |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 10 October 1969 |
Age | 56 years old (as of July 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Libra |
Place of birth | Gulfport, Mississippi, United States |
Current residence | Sumrall, Mississippi, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Hair colour | Blond |
Eye colour | Blue |
Height in feet | 6'2" |
Height in centimetres | 188 |
Weight in pounds | 222 |
Weight in kilograms | 101 |
Siblings | 3 |
Marital status | Married |
Partner | Deanna Favre |
Children | 2 |
School | Hancock North Central |
University | University of Southern Mississippi |
Profession | Retired professional American football player |
Net worth | $100 million |
X (Twitter) |
Is Brett Favre still married?
Brett Favre is still married to Deanna Favre, an American author and activist. The couple tied the knot on 14 July 1996. They dated on and off after meeting during their teenage years in Mississippi.
Source: Getty Images
Brett and Deanna's marriage has endured several highly publicised challenges over three decades. Through it all, the couple chose to remain together.
Both Brett and Deanna have spoken openly about rebuilding trust. They frequently attribute their long marriage to faith, forgiveness, and family support.
A timeline of Brett and Deanna Favre's relationship journey
The romance began long before the bright lights of the NFL. Maintaining a lifelong partnership under intense public scrutiny proved complex.
1983: High school beginnings
Brett and Deanna met as teenagers in Kiln, Mississippi. They began dating at Hancock North Central High School before Brett became a college football star.
The pair's early relationship saw brief separations and reconciliations. However, these formative years created a strong lifelong bond. Brett and Deanna continued their relationship into college.
1989: The couple welcome their first child
Source: Getty Images
At 19 years old, Deanna became pregnant with their first daughter, Brittany. She was born in February 1989 while Brett was in college at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Deanna worked full-time to finish her degree as a young mother. Meanwhile, Brett focused on his growing football career.
1996: Brett fights addiction, and the pair get married
By 1996, Brett faced a severe addiction to the painkiller Vicodin. After suffering a seizure, the sports personality entered a rehabilitation facility in May.
Upon his release, Deanna agreed to marry him. Brett and Deanna got married on 14 July 1996 as his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers reached new heights.
1999: Second rehab stint and the birth of their second daughter
Source: Getty Images
In 1999, the marriage faced a severe crisis due to Brett's alcohol abuse. Deanna issued an ultimatum regarding his drinking.
The retired NFL player entered rehab for a second time, successfully achieving sobriety. Later that year, on 13 July 1999, they welcomed their second daughter, Breleigh Ann.
2004: Deanna's breast cancer diagnosis and grief
Tragedy struck in 2004 when Deanna received a breast cancer diagnosis. The diagnosis came just days after her brother was killed in an accident on the Favres' property. According to CBN, Deanna said that she had a wonderful life and then breast cancer hit:
I had a loving husband, two daughters, a wonderful life. And breast cancer.
Brett showed unwavering support, famously shaving his head during her chemotherapy. Deanna beat the disease and later established the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation. Her experience inspired her bestselling memoir Don't Bet Against Me!: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life.
2010: Brett faces a sexting scandal
Source: Getty Images
In 2010, reports emerged accusing the American athlete of sending explicit text messages to Jenn Sterger, a New York Jets sideline reporter during the 2008 season. The scandal led to a major NFL investigation. The American athlete admitted to sending voicemails but denied sending explicit pictures, according to The New York Post.
Despite intense tabloid scrutiny, Deanna chose to stand by her husband. The couple opted to work through the scandal privately.
2011: Brett retires from the NFL
After an iconic 20-year NFL career, Brett officially retired in January 2011, following a 20-year career. Retirement allowed the couple to step away from public life and focus on family.
2020–2023: Brett faces a lawsuit over diversion of public welfare funds
In 2020, Brett became embroiled in a scandal involving the misallocation of Mississippi state welfare funds. The civil lawsuits targeted funds directed toward a college volleyball facility.
Favre repaid more than $1 million to the state while denying any intentional wrongdoing. The legal dispute remained a dark cloud over his public legacy.
2024: Brett reveals his Parkinson's diagnosis
During congressional testimony in September 2024, Brett revealed his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. He shared the news while discussing concussion risks in contact sports. He said:
I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's.
The diagnosis marked a sobering new health battle for the couple. Deanna stepped up once again as his primary support system.
2025: Netflix documentary Untold: The Fall of Favre is released
In May 2025, Netflix released the documentary Untold: The Fall of Favre. The film examined Brett's football legacy alongside his personal controversies.
The documentary highlighted Deanna's role as the steady anchor of the household. Despite renewed public interest, the couple maintained their private life together in Mississippi.
Why did Deanna Favre stay with Brett?
Source: Getty Images
Deanna has spoken openly about why she chose forgiveness over divorce. During interviews for her memoir, Don't Bet Against Me!, she pointed to religious faith. She told CBN:
You can't leave just because things get hard... Faith carried us through the darkest times of our lives.
Deanna explained that commitment meant pushing through the hardest moments together. Rebuilding trust required work, patience, and mutual dedication over many years.
FAQs
- Who is Brett Favre? He is a retired professional footballer and a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback.
- What did Brett Favre do? The former athlete retired from the NFL in 2011. In recent years, he has faced legal scrutiny over Mississippi welfare funds and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
- Who is Brett Favre married to now? He is married to Deanna Favre, an author, philanthropist, and breast cancer advocate.
- Are Brett Favre and Deanna still together? Brett and Deanna remain married and live in Sumrall, Mississippi.
- Does Brett Favre have Parkinson's? Brett Favre publicly revealed his diagnosis in late 2024.
- How severe is Brett Favre's Parkinson's disease? When he disclosed the condition, Favre noted he had experienced relatively minor symptoms for about a year.
- Is Brett Favre still sober? After entering rehab in 1999 for alcohol abuse, he has maintained complete sobriety.
Brett Favre remains married to Deanna Favre today. Their long marriage demonstrates an ability to navigate fame, addiction, illness, and public scandal. Through every trial, they have chosen to remain united.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
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