Brett Favre Lawsuit Against Intermittent WWE Talent Pat McAfee Moved To Federal Court

This past February, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre filed a lawsuit against part-time WWE performer and fellow retired NFL player Pat McAfee for defamation. The lawsuit came after McAfee discussed Favre's welfare fund legal troubles on his podcast, including accusations that Favre was stealing money that should go to the poor. Now, that lawsuit is moving from state to federal court (via NBC Sports), and it's at the behest of McAfee.

Because Favre is a resident of Mississippi, where the lawsuit was filed, and McAfee is not, McAfee was given the option of taking the case to federal court to ensure there is no bias toward the Mississippi native. He elected to do so, but as of now there's no start date set for a trial, and NBC Sports predicts that this entire process is likely to take quite a long time.

Favre is currently embroiled in the same Mississippi welfare fund scandal as Ted Dibiase Jr., who was recently charged with stealing millions of dollars. The Hall of Fame quarterback is accused of asking Mississippi's then-governor, Phil Bryant, if the state could fund a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter attends school. Following that, Favre allegedly asked the founder of a Mississippi non-profit that helped facilitate the transaction if the media would know where the money came from and how much it would be. It is believed he was told no one would find out, and the transaction went forward.

McAfee has become heavily involved in the wrestling world in recent years, serving as the color commentator for "WWE SmackDown" for a time, as well as putting in some impressive in-ring performances. He has returned to WWE programming twice this year — at the 2023 Royal Rumble as well as WWE WrestleMania 39.