Terrell Owens says Brett Favre should be in jail, questioning why the former NFL quarterback has not faced criminal charges over his connection to Mississippi’s welfare scandal while Daejon Love faces federal charges over an alleged $1.3 million fraud scheme targeting women.
Owens made the comments during an appearance on the Get TO The Point podcast, according to a report that quoted the segment. Love, whom federal prosecutors accuse of posing as a San Francisco 49ers player while defrauding women, was arrested with Taylor Jamie Chan on Aug. 24, 2026.
“You look at what he’s done scamming women out of X amount of dollars, Brett Favre scammed a lot of people outta money too and he’s still walking around. So if that’s the case, Brett Favre should be in jail too,” Owens said.
Owens doubled down in a Sept. 4 post, writing that Love was in jail over $1.3 million while Favre and others connected to the Mississippi scandal were “at home chilling.” Owens follow-up post also alleged that Favre misappropriated “tens of millions” in welfare funds, which is Owens’ characterization rather than an established criminal finding against Favre.
The comparison has generated attention because the two cases involve very different legal circumstances. Love has been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Favre has not been criminally charged in connection with Mississippi’s welfare scandal, although he remains involved in civil litigation over the recovery of allegedly misspent welfare money.
Owens was responding to the Daejon Love case, which has quickly become a major NFL-related fraud story. According to the Justice Department’s charging announcement, Love and Chan allegedly created fictitious investment opportunities and used false identities to obtain money from women they met online. Prosecutors allege Love posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and that the pair obtained approximately $1.3 million from 26 identified victims.
Love and Chan were arrested in Boise, Idaho, on Aug. 24. They were charged by criminal complaint and remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Owens argued that Love was facing immediate criminal consequences over an alleged $1.3 million fraud scheme while Favre remained free despite his involvement in a Mississippi welfare scandal involving substantially more money.
Owens specifically referenced Favre’s connection to welfare-funded payments, the University of Southern Mississippi volleyball facility and Prevacus, the pharmaceutical company Favre backed.
The former NFL receiver then took his argument to social media, writing that Love was in jail over $1.3 million while Favre and others connected to the Mississippi scandal were “at home chilling.” That is Owens’ characterization of the situations. The legal records show why the two men currently face very different proceedings.
Favre isn’t in jail because he has not been criminally charged in connection with Mississippi’s welfare scandal. Favre has instead been involved in civil litigation concerning the recovery of welfare funds that Mississippi officials say were improperly spent or received. A civil lawsuit can seek repayment of money without resulting in imprisonment; criminal prosecution requires prosecutors to charge a person with a crime and prove the allegations in criminal court.
The civil fight over the welfare money remains active in 2026. In June, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that Attorney General Lynn Fitch, rather than State Auditor Shad White, has the authority to pursue lawsuits seeking recovery of misspent state money. The dispute involved approximately $730,000 that White claimed Favre owed because of unpaid interest.
The full Mississippi Supreme Court decision provides the legal details, while Mississippi Today’s 2026 Supreme Court report explains the dispute between Fitch and White over who could bring the recovery litigation. So the answer to Owens’ question is narrower than his criticism: Favre is not in jail because he has not been criminally prosecuted for the Mississippi welfare scandal. Favre has denied wrongdoing.
Favre received $1.1 million in federal welfare money in 2017 and 2018 through a nonprofit contracted to run the Families First for Mississippi program. According to Mississippi Today’s report on Favre’s welfare payments, the Mississippi Community Education Center paid Favre the money to promote the anti-poverty program. The funds came from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, commonly known as TANF.
The original arrangement and the services Favre was supposed to provide have been disputed. Favre said he did not know the money came from a federal program intended to serve poor families and maintained that he performed promotional work for Families First.
After the payments became public, Favre returned the money. Favre initially repaid $500,000 and later paid another $600,000, bringing the total repayment to the full $1.1 million. Favre did not initially repay the interest that Mississippi officials said he owed.
That distinction is important because the $1.1 million was the amount paid directly to Favre under the promotional arrangement. It should not be confused with the much larger amount of alleged misspending tied to the broader welfare scandal. Mississippi officials later continued pursuing additional money and interest through civil litigation.
The controversy involving Favre goes beyond the $1.1 million payment. Favre was involved in efforts to secure welfare-related funding for a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played.
Mississippi Today reported that $5 million in welfare funds went toward the Southern Miss project. Its investigation also detailed Favre’s efforts to obtain additional funding and his communications with Mississippi officials about the facility.
The Mississippi Today investigation into Favre’s welfare dealings also reported that Prevacus, a pharmaceutical company Favre backed, received $2.15 million in allegedly stolen welfare funds from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. They do not, however, establish that Favre committed a crime.
The biggest difference is the type of legal case. Love has been federally charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud after allegedly obtaining approximately $1.3 million from 26 identified victims. Love and Chan were arrested and are facing federal prosecution, while both remain presumed innocent.
Favre’s situation centers on Mississippi welfare funds, promotional payments and projects connected to the broader scandal. Mississippi officials have pursued civil recovery claims, but Favre has not been criminally charged in the welfare case.
Terrell Owens’ Brett Favre rant has reignited an uncomfortable question about accountability. Owens sees a stark difference between Love facing federal criminal charges and Favre remaining outside the criminal justice system despite the allegations and civil litigation surrounding Mississippi’s welfare scandal.
But Owens’ criticism and the legal reality are two different questions. Love has been charged by criminal complaint and must still be presumed innocent. Favre has not been criminally charged in connection with the Mississippi welfare scandal, although the civil litigation over the recovery of allegedly misspent money remains active.
So, why isn’t Brett Favre in jail? Because he has never been criminally charged in the Mississippi welfare case. Owens can argue that Favre deserved a harsher consequence, but that is different from saying Favre has been convicted of a crime. The legal distinction remains straightforward: Love is facing a federal criminal prosecution, while Favre is dealing with civil litigation over the Mississippi welfare scandal.
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