by Sports media star and former NFL player Pat McAfee has announced that he has been officially served with a lawsuit by Brett Favre.
The news comes nearly three weeks after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Favre had sued both McAfee and Shannon Sharpe.
Not surprisingly, McAfee downplayed the situation on Twitter before continuing in similar fashion on his eponymous show on Monday.
The former Indianapolis Colts player broke the news on social media Sunday afternoon with an excerpt from the civil lawsuit along with a gif with the caption “You Got Served.”
On Monday’s Pat McAfee Show, he added: “I have officially been served by Brett Favre.”
McAfee made a joke about the legal documents he received on Sunday ahead of a civil case against Favre
Brett Favre’s lawyer threatens to bankrupt sports talk show host Pat McAfee (left) over defamation claims, but YouTuber and former Indianapolis Colts player remains defiant in the face of recently served lawsuit
McAfee revealed that he had been delivered the papers on Sunday, adding: “Here we go!” before his team started clapping in celebration.
The photo shows that the hearing will be held in Mississippi’s district courts.
Favre is suing McAfee as well as FS1 personality Shannon Sharpe and Mississippi Auditor Shad White, for “defamatory allegations” made in connection with the involvement of a Packers legend in a $77 million social fraud scheme.
“Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee have attempted to advance their careers by making baseless defamatory allegations against Brett Favre,” a spokesman for the 53-year-old told DailyMail.com on February 9.
McAfee accused Favre of “robbing poor Mississippi people.” Favre’s lawyer, Eric Herschmann, has since threatened McAfee with bankruptcy over his comments.
Herschmann, a former adviser to Donald Trump who testified against the former president before a congressional committee on January 6, told Jason Whitlock of The Blaze that Favre’s defamation lawsuit against McAfee would result in “millions of dollars.”
“If it bankrupts him, he’ll learn a lesson that you shouldn’t try to promote yourself by inappropriately and inappropriately attacking someone else,” Herschmann told Whitlock in Fearless with Jason Whitlock.
Herschmann denied that his client knew that the money he received came from funds intended for the poorest people in Mississippi.
“Brett didn’t steal from the poor,” Herschmann told Whitlock. “He didn’t. And the idea that someone who gave Mississippi as much as Brett gave over the years and contributed as much and helped as much as they could, the idea that they would do that is truly beyond comprehension.
The former Southern Mississippi star is seeking nominal and general damages from all three, “including damages to Favre’s character and reputation.” It also demands unspecified punitive or exemplary damages.
Attorney Eric Herschmann (right), a former adviser to Donald Trump who testified against the former president before a congressional committee on Jan. 6, told podcaster Jason Whitlock (left) that Favre’s defamation lawsuit against McAfee would result in a “million dollar” fine.
Sharpe, a Hall of Fame member of the Broncos and Ravens, called Favre a “crook” on his FS1 show in September, accusing the retired quarterback of knowingly stealing $1.1 million from Mississippi welfare funds in exchange for speeches he never gave.
Favre is one of 38 individuals or organizations sued by the state in May to recover $24 million from a $77 million welfare program.
He was not charged in the case, which has already resulted in several confessions, and has since paid back $1.1 million. However, Favre refused to pay the $228,000 in interest White charged him, while claiming he did not know the origin of the funds received.
Previously discovered text messages from 2017 revealed Favre’s efforts to divert $5 million in social assistance to a new volleyball arena for the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, where his daughter was playing the sport at the time. In one of the messages, Favre wondered: “Can the media at all (sic) find out where (money) comes from and how much?”
Favre denied knowing the source of the funding.
“No one ever told me, and I didn’t know, that funds intended for welfare recipients were going to the university or to me,” Favre said in a Fox News statement in October. “I was trying to help my alma mater, USM, a Mississippi public university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and will always be to improve the sports facilities at my university.
Previously discovered text messages from 2017 revealed Favre’s efforts to divert $5 million in social assistance to a new volleyball arena for the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, where his daughter was playing the sport at the time. In one of the messages, Favre wondered: “Can the media at all (sic) find out where (money) comes from and how much?”
Favre denied knowing the source of the funding.
“No one ever told me, and I didn’t know, that funds intended for welfare recipients were going to the university or to me,” Favre said in a Fox News statement in October. “I was trying to help my alma mater, USM, a Mississippi public university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and will always be to improve the sports facilities at my university.
While Herschmann threatens to bankrupt McAfee, the popular YouTube host greeted the legal battle by tweeting The Rock’s GIF making the “bring it in” wave
Favre is accused of attempting to funnel $5 million into a new complex built at his alma mater, Southern Miss, where his daughter played volleyball in 2018. Nancy New, who ran a non-profit in the state and has since pleaded guilty to fraud charges, was allegedly involved in this scheme. Text messages purporting to show Favre and New working on the show were included in last week’s filing. In one August 2017, Favre texted New asking, “If you paid me, could the media still find out where it came from and how much?”
