What was the Brett Favre-Caitlyn Jenner clap incident all about? Revisiting Packers icon’s bizarre behaviour

During the 2015 ESPY's, Caitlyn Jenner received the Arthur Ashe Award for courage. She had just transitioned from being male, and while popular reception was mixed, most major media outlets were positive in their reaction to the change.

But one person apparently was not applauding properly when Jenner came onstage: legendary quarterback Brett Favre. In the clip below, he is seen clapping thrice, then rubbing his palms:

But why was Favre acting that way? And what else was he doing at the event?

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Brett Favre was acting strangely at 2015 ESPY's

Many at the time interpreted the gesture as Favre wanting to have a relationship Jenner, but their comments (some of which have been deleted) border on provocative:

Comment by u/padronr from discussion Brett Favre applauding Caitlyn Jenner in GreenBayPackers

Comment by u/bytheway_29 from discussion Brett Favre applauding Caitlyn Jenner in GreenBayPackers

It did not take long for Jenn Sterger, a former Jets gameday host who claimed to have received lewd text messages from Favre back in 2008 (a case that was investigated only two years later), to respond:

"Welcome to my world, @Caitlyn_Jenner"

But it was not the only strange thing Favre did at the ESPYs. Before the show, he was slated to give the Best NFL Player award to Aaron Rodgers, his successor at Green Bay, and he almost tripped while retrieving the trophy:

The two also posed for a photo on the red carpet:

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Looking at Brett Favre's legal troubles since retirement

The sexting investigation is not the only scandal Favre has faced since he hung up his cleats.

Favre was recently involved in a major scandal when he was linked to an embezzlement scheme in his home state of Mississippi. Between 2017 and 2022 approximately $77 million was unlawfully diverted from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. He reportedly benefited from them, particularly in the case of new sports facilities at his alma mater of Southern Mississippi.

Other scandals Favre has been linked to in relation to the scheme include being paid for appearances and speeches that turned out to have never happened. He also reportedly received funding for Prevacus, a drug company he had heavily invested in. In response, he filed a defamation lawsuit in February 2023 against multiple personalities, who as per Favre made derogatory comments against him in relation to his involvement in the scheme.