Hall of Fame running back and Southern University coach Marshall Faulk has disclosed he has Parkinson’s disease. The news, revealed by Faulk himself on the Caring Neurologist podcast, instantly made waves, giving us a raw, candid look into his personal health journey.
How He Knew Something Was Wrong
Faulk is someone who really keeps an eye on his health, telling us he gets a physical twice a year. He’s “a little anal about my health,” he said, which probably helped him catch this early. It was on the golf course that he first noticed something wasn’t right. He started feeling a “rigidity in my hand” after playing or practicing a lot. At first, he just brushed it off as “normal nerves” you get when putting.
But then, it started happening even when he wasn’t in a match, just playing for fun. That’s when the alarm bells went off. He realized, “Wow, is that something? Is that normal?” That gut feeling pushed him to talk to his doctor, who told him point-blank, “You need to go get checked. You need to go have X, Y and Z done.” That’s the kind of doctor-patient talk that can be absolutely crucial.
A Hall of Fame Career and Ongoing Treatment
This is Marshall Faulk we’re talking about, right? An NFL MVP, a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, three-time first-team All-Pro, and a seven-time Pro Bowler. A true legend on the field. Now, he is facing this new challenge head-on. He’s currently receiving treatment and taking medication to manage the condition. Since starting the medication, Faulk says he doesn’t “really have a lot of issues” anymore.
He mentioned he might sleep “a little more,” which seems like a small trade-off for managing such a serious diagnosis. The rigidity in his hands is still there, but he said it hasn’t gotten worse. And those “little tremors” he gets? They are what they are, a part of his reality now. His openness about this is huge, not just for him but for anyone else out there who might be noticing similar subtle signs.
This kind of news always hits hard, especially when it’s someone who gave so much to the game. Faulk’s story is a powerful reminder to pay attention to your body and listen when it tells you something’s off. We’re all rooting for him as he continues his treatment and navigates this journey. What a tough dude.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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