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Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre have not always seen eye-to-eye. However, recent reports revealed that Rodgers contributed money to help build the controversial University of Southern Mississippi volleyball facility.
Mississippi Today’s Anna Wolfe shared an email that contained a list of donors who helped Favre raise his $1.4 million pledge for this project. It indicated that Rodgers gave $10,000 to the cause on October 10, 2019, Favre's 50th birthday.
Other individual pledges came from the foundation of musician Jimmy Buffett, Westwood One Sports Executive Producer Howard Deneroff, and sports memorabilia store owner Matt Helms. The commitments totaled $650,000, with Favre making a $50,000 contribution.
However, this revelation does not implicate Aaron Rodgers in Favre’s recent legal battles due to the alleged channeling of state welfare funds for the facility mentioned above. Favre is using this donor’s list in his defense but did not make the names public.
A three-time NFL MVP and a Mississippi native, Favre allegedly helped divert millions of federal welfare dollars to help fund the volleyball stadium. He reportedly received $1.1 million in payments from the Mississippi Community Education Center, a Mississippi Department of Human Services subgrantee.
Since US federal law does not allow welfare funds as a budget for construction projects, Favre and the MCEC had to find a loophole. Therefore, MCEC founder Nancy New allegedly paid Favre $1.1 for marketing and promotional services.
While Favre has repaid that amount, he is still not cleared of the other charges. Favre agreed to raise $1.4 million, which will prompt the University of Southern Mississippi to accept bids for the construction of the volleyball wellness center.
Aaron Rodgers following Brett Favre’s lead
Aaron Rodgers announced on The Pat McAfee Show last month his intention to play for the New York Jets after undergoing a darkness retreat. Ironically, McAfee is one of two sports media personalities sued by Favre for defamation in connection to the welfare funds scandal.
However, the Jets and the Green Bay Packers haven’t agreed to a trade that will send the four-time NFL MVP to New York. Meanwhile, the Packers traded Favre to the Jets in 2008 after his retirement/unretirement saga.
That trade ended Favre’s 16-season run in Green Bay, a massive part of his NFL record of 297 consecutive regular season starts. It also gave Aaron Rodgers the Packers’ starting quarterback role, eventually leading Green Bay to victory in Super Bowl XLV two years later.
Favre wasn’t keen on helping Rodgers improve after the Packers selected the latter in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He shared this memorable quote in an interview with journalist Graham Bensinger:
“My contract doesn't state I have to get him ready to play. Now hopefully he watches me and gets something from that. There's no clause that says, ‘You groom the next guy who’s going to take your job, or else.’ It doesn’t work that way.”
But time has healed the wounds that have soured their relationship. Aaron Rodgers said in a 2019 appearance on The Pat McAfee Show:
“I love Brett, I always had a great appreciation for him, but we were caught in the middle of a power struggle that unfortunately broke apart Brett and the Packers and Brett and myself."
Favre retired in 2010 after playing for 20 NFL seasons. He closed his career with the Minnesota Vikings, tallying 71,838 passing yards and 508 touchdowns. The Super Bowl XXI winner and 11-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers will be playing in his 19th NFL season, regardless of where he ends up. He is the highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual value after signing a three-year, $150 million contract last offseason. With five All-Pro and 10 Pro Bowl selections, he will likely follow Favre to the Hall of Fame.
If you use any of the above quotes, credit Brett Favre, The Pat McAfee Show, and H/T Sportskeeda
