Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre has reignited debate over the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, calling the current approach “ridiculous and dangerous” during a recent appearance on The Ricky Cobb Show.
The Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer, who has faced controversies of his own in recent years, offered a blunt and polarizing solution: a separate competition category for transgender athletes.
Favre, now 54, said he never intended to enter political debates but felt compelled to speak out as a father and grandfather concerned about future generations.
“I can’t believe we’re talking about it or having to talk about it, and that it’s an issue,” Favre said. “And I’ve never in my life wanted to be political. Never thought it would be political.
“I have two daughters, you know, they’re grown. I got three grandsons… I’m starting to think about, ‘What will our youth in the next generation be facing down the road?'”
Favre’s proposal: three competition categories
The former Green Bay Packers star argued that the presence of transgender women, individuals assigned male at birth, in female sports poses safety risks and undermines the integrity of women’s competitions.
Rather than barring transgender athletes altogether, Favre suggested a new framework.
“Not wanting to protect our girls is, you know, by allowing biological males to compete. Why not have a category for men’s sports, women’s sports and trans?” Favre said.
“To me, that would be the best way to appease everyone… But I don’t think a biological male should be able to compete in women’s sports. I mean, I just think that that’s ridiculous and dangerous quite frankly.”
Favre’s comments align with recent legislative efforts. In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
The policy mandates that any organization receiving federal funding must exclude transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ competitions or risk losing that funding.
The order has been met with praise from some conservative groups and sharp criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates and civil rights organizations.
Several states have begun enacting laws reflecting the executive order, creating a patchwork of rules across the country. The issue has also reached the courts, with ongoing legal battles questioning the constitutionality and impact of such policies.
Favre’s comments have sparked fresh debate online, with supporters arguing he is championing fairness in competition, while critics say his views contribute to the marginalization of transgender youth.
Despite his own legal troubles, including accusations involving misuse of Mississippi welfare funds, Favre appears undeterred from voicing opinions on hot-button cultural issues.
Whether his call for a third sports category gains political or institutional support remains to be seen, but his remarks have undoubtedly added fuel to an already divisive conversation.
