NFL Hall of Famer and former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been in the news lately. For all the wrong reasons. Favre has come under severe scrutiny for his alleged involvement in the Mississippi welfare funds scandal, where Favre is said to have received over $8 million in funds that were allocated for welfare recipients of the state of Mississippi. The state of Mississippi has the lowest per capita income per household in the country and a poverty rate of nearly 20 percent.
Favre allegedly used the funds for a volleyball court at Southern Mississippi his alma mater. Funds also went to a pharmaceutical startup. Favre even kept over one million for phantom speaking engagements that were never made.
As bad as that sounds and is, Favre reportedly also tried to get funds for an indoor practice facility at Southern Mississippi, in hopes of enticing top recruits to choose his alma mater. One of those he was hoping to entice was Shedeur Sanders, the starting quarterback at Jackson State under his dad, head coach Deion Sanders.
BREAKING: Brett Favre sought $1.5M from a state welfare agency to build a Southern Miss Football facility, according to court documents.
2019 texts show that Favre hoped the project would aid in the recruiting of QB Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders’ son.@byajperez's story ⤵️
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 25, 2022
Favre Was Shedeur’s Tour Guide During Recruiting Visit
In 2019, during Shedeur’s junior season, the strong-armed four-star recruit in the class of 2021 took a visit to Southern Miss. He was shown around the campus by none other than Favre, easily the school’s greatest former athlete. Per ESPN, during the visit Sanders asked about an indoor practice facility, which they don’t have. Now ESPN is reporting how Favre reached out via text messages to one of his main contacts, then-Gov. Phil Bryant, about allocating funds in the sum of $1.5 million for the facility.
“I picked up Deion Sanders and his son who’s going to be a junior in high school and plays QB. He has at least 30 offers thus far including us. Deion and I have been great friends since 91’ and have great respect for each other,” Favre said to Bryant at the time.
Favre continued:
“As I suspected, Deion’s son asked where the indoor facility was and I said we don’t have one but we are hoping to break ground in less than 2 years …. I know we have the volleyball center to complete first and I’m asking a lot.”
Half Time Score❗️🐅 #IBelieve #JSU pic.twitter.com/LwCQdwmfMg
— Jackson State Football (@gojsutigersfb) September 24, 2022
In addition to the over $8 million Favre had already allegedly received, he was looking for another $1.5 million in hopes of luring a top QB recruit, who just so happens to be the son of fellow HOF player Deion Sanders.
While none of that came to fruition, Favre is now under investigation for his involvement in the welfare scandal, so good thing for Shedeur that he didn’t associate himself with Favre, whose name is mud right now.
Deion And Shedeur Are Dominating Together At Jackson State
Deion and Shedeur Sanders are experiencing immense success at Jackson State, a job Deion landed roughly one-year after his visit to Southern Mississippi.
Shedeur is the reigning Jerry Rice Award winner, which given to the top freshman in all of FCS football. Deion is the reigning Eddie Robinson Award winner, given to the top coach in FCS.
In 2021 they went 11-2, winning the SWAC for the first time since 2007. They made their first ever Celebration Bowl appearance as well. This season they’re 4-0, having outscored opponents 190-37, including Saturday’s 49-7 win over Mississippi Valley State. In that game Shedeur reached career highs in completions with 40, yards passing (425), and threw for four touchdowns.
1st | 6;24
Shedeur Sanders throws a 35 yard touchdown to Willie Gaines
JSU – 7
MVSU – 7#TheeILove | #IBelieve pic.twitter.com/1jPvosKW7q
— Jackson State Athletics (@GoJSUTigers) September 24, 2022
This season Sanders has passed for nearly 1,400 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception.
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