Five Ways Right Wing Media Gave Brett Favre a Free Pass
By Kevin Howley, October 23, 2022
NFL quarterbacks occupy a privileged space in the American psyche. Ever since Joe Namath introduced counterculture sensibilities to the media spectacle that is the Super Bowl, QB’s from Fran Tarkenton and Terry Bradshaw, to Colin Kaepernick and Troy Aikman have courted the paparazzi, titillated gossip columnists, sometimes championed social justice, and otherwise grabbed the media spotlight to pursue fame, and occasionally misfortune, off the playing field.
Consider the ongoing controversy surrounding one of the game’s most celebrated players: Brett Favre. Earlier this year, Favre made headlines for his involvement in the alleged “mishandling” of millions of dollars earmarked for the Mississippi Department of Human Services. According to the New York Times, Favre will repay over $1 million for speaking engagements he never made. More recently, it’s been alleged that Favre was involved in the funneling of $5 million in Mississippi welfare funds to the construction of a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, where his daughter had played, um, volleyball.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the media frenzy; conservative outlets have all but buried their heads in the sand on the growing scandal.
Here are five reasons why the right wing media give Brett Favre a free pass.
1. Lies! It’s all lies!
Favre was uncharacteristically quiet over the allegations, and right wing media did little to investigate the charges, preferring instead to follow the star quarterback’s lead, or, to be more precise, cover his back.
When Favre decided to address the scandal, he went straight to Fox News, the first refuge for conservative ne’er-do-wells. That statement was roundly repeated in right wing media.
Headlined, “Brett Favre Breaks His Silence on Mississippi Welfare Fraud Scandal, Says He ‘Did Nothing Wrong,’” Red State dutifully recites the sports legend’s denial and concludes, rather predictably, “There seem to be some unanswered questions at the moment, but Favre has finally spoken about the incident, and it remains to be seen how the state of Mississippi will respond.”
‘Nuff said.
2. It’s a Sports Story, for Pete’s Sake!
Speaking of Fox, the wellspring of right wing media conspiracy frames the Favre fraud allegations as sports news. Indeed, three recent headlines ostensibly reporting on federal investigations into a former football star’s mishandling of welfare dollars appear on the Fox Sports site.
In September, Fox Sports reported on text messages between the Hall of Fame quarterback and Mississippi Governor and current favorite in the scapegoat of the year competition, Phil Bryant, that suggest the misappropriation of welfare money to fund the volleyball facility was Bryant’s bright idea.
A few days later, Fox Sports reported that Favre’s radio show was placed “on hiatus” due to the fraud allegations. The lead paragraph tells you all you need to know about the editorial perspective behind Fox’s reporting: “The consequences of Brett Favre’s alleged role in a Mississippi welfare fraud scandal has cost him a major radio show for the time being.”
By October, Fox Sports quoted Favre’s denials of wrongdoing at length. “No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me. I tried to help my alma mater USM, a public Mississippi state university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and always will be to improve the athletic facilities at my university.”
Framing fraud allegations as sports news, as does ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, and uncritically echoing Favre’s claims of a media-driven smear campaign, obscures the social, political and economic implications of a what appears to be a criminal conspiracy to defraud the federal government — and steal sorely needed funds from Mississippi’s neediest.
3. Favre’s Conservative Cred
Brett Favre’s been a conservative darling for years. He’s a sports icon who calls it the way he sees it and puts his money where his mouth is.
Small wonder, then, that conservative pundits rush to the Favre’s defense and allege that the same “woke” liberals who shame Troy Aikman for his casual misogyny want to take down another sports legend.
For instance, in a recent column, Townhall contributor Derek Hunter asks, “Is Brett Favre Really History’s Greatest Monster?”
Hyperbole aside, I think we all know who really is history’s greatest monster…
4. Hunter Biden
Made you look!
5. Trump Has Changed Everything
Next to the twice-impeached former president, Brett Favre is going through lawyers like a fraternity going through solo cups at a homecoming tailgate. According to Sports Illustrated, the Hall of Famer is taking “a page out of Donald Trump’s playbook” to defend against fraud charges.
With tongue in cheek, Washington Post columnist Rick Reilly suggested that Republicans have found in Brett Favre the next Donald Trump. “I’m telling you, Brett could be your new Favrite president. How long until the right holds him up as a victim of the crooked justice system? In some ways, he might be better than Trump. ”
Judging from the right wing media’s kid gloves treatment of Favre’s alleged crimes, it’s clear conservatives like what they see in a Hall of Famer who plays fast and loose with the facts … and welfare fraud.
Kevin Howley is a writer and educator whose work has appeared in Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism, Social Movement Studies, and Interactions: Studies in Communication and Culture. His most recent book is Drones: Media Discourse and the Public Imagination.
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While Brett Favre, the former Hall of Fame NFL quarterback, has made headlines for his involvement in the alleged mishandling of millions of dollars allocated to Mississippi welfare funds, conservative outlets have all but buried their heads in the sand on the growing scandal. (Photo: Flickr)
