The legal fight between two Hall of Famers ended with a TKO.
Via A.J. Perez of FrontOfficeSports.com, a federal judge has dismissed Brett Favre’s defamation lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe.
Sharpe had said on FS1’s Undisputed that Favre “stole money from people that really needed that money,” when commenting on Favre’s alleged role in a Mississippi welfare fraud case.
“No reasonable person listening to the broadcast would think that Favre actually went into the homes of poor people and took their money—that he committed the crime of theft/larceny against any particular poor person in Mississippi,” the judge wrote. “Sharpe’s comments were made against the backdrop of longstanding media coverage of Favre’s role in the welfare scandal and the state’s lawsuit against Favre. Listeners would have recognized Sharpe’s statements as rhetorical hyperbole.”
Favre had separately sued Pat McAfee. That case was dismissed without a cash settlement, and with McAfee reading a statement of clarification.
Favre has appeal rights. Frankly, his time and money would likely be better spent defending himself against an ongoing civil action aimed at proving his involvement in the welfare scandal. He’s due to testify in December; one false move while under oath could get him prosecuted.