Mark Madden: Documentary exposes Brett Favre, but damage to Jenn Sterger can't be undone

“The Fall of Favre” is a hit piece. A hatchet job. The Netflix documentary on Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre pays minimal attention to his football greatness, instead savaging Favre for alleged sexual harassment of former media personality Jenn Sterger and his alleged involvement in misusing welfare funds.

Good.

That’s exactly the story that needs told, and in unexpurgated fashion.

Favre is utterly contemptible, a narcissist who clearly believes he’s above rules and the law.

Perhaps he’s right: Favre hasn’t been charged criminally for his alleged role in the misappropriation of millions of dollars earmarked for needy families in his native Mississippi. A civil suit is pending.

Favre denies all wrongdoing. Odds are he’ll never spend a day behind bars.

But he got excoriated by Netflix. His image is battered. That’s something, and doubtless means a lot to Sterger, who finally got to tell her story with no disclaimers tacked on. (The documentary features Sterger’s first televised interview in a decade.)

Sterger was 25 in 2008, a rising star in sports media, working for the New York Jets as their gameday host. She said in the documentary she got unwanted advances from Favre via texts and voicemails. One text included an explicit photo. Favre stalked Sterger on the sidelines, trying to get her attention.

Sterger never responded. She has yet to meet Favre face-to-face.

Favre was (and is) married. Sterger looks creepily like Favre’s wife.

When the story broke in 2010 — after a website double-crossed Sterger by using off-the-record info — Sterger lost her career. Her show on the Versus Network was canceled. The Jets had let her go after one season.

The NFL said it could not conclude that Favre violated the league’s personal conduct policy.

How on earth could the NFL not conclude that? There was no lack of evidence tied directly to Favre.

Favre got fined $50,000 for not cooperating with the investigation. But otherwise, his career and life didn’t miss a beat.

Favre played through the 2010 season. He kept his lucrative endorsements. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Sterger’s career died. She should be a featured player in sports media. As Sterger says in the documentary, “My life was ruined and he went to the Hall of Fame.”

We’re supposed to believe women. But not enough people believed Sterger. As she says, “I was never treated like a person.”

Women are allowed to say no. But look what saying no did for Sterger. Meanwhile, women who date athletes have risen through the ranks of sports media.

Sterger got objectified by Sam Ponder, who spent over a decade working for ESPN. Ponder married NFL quarterback Christian Ponder in 2012.

ESPN’s Sarah Spain victim-shamed Sterger, later denying it in the face of evidence. (Not unlike Favre.)

Sterger’s stunning looks and sexy presentation were used against her.

The Favre/Sterger case is a steaming pile of hypocrisy. It’s amazing that it took 15 years for that to be decisively demonstrated and concluded.

There aren’t two sides to this story, and never were.

Sterger was 100% right. Favre was 100% wrong.

But, sadly, the damage to Sterger can’t be undone.

Or can it? Sterger would still be great. Somebody should give her a chance.

Champion. MVP. Hall of Famer. But that's not the whole story.

Untold: The Fall of Favre digs into Brett Favre's controversial career, the dark side of sports stardom, and the scandals that marred his legacy. Premiering May 20. pic.twitter.com/6RU6IGVx1Q

— Netflix (@netflix) April 29, 2025