Southern University coach Marshall Faulk diagnosed with Parkinson's disease originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Southern University head football coach Marshall Faulk has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame running back revealed his diagnosis to the world on Thursday. He recently went on The Caring Neurologist podcast with Dr. Sandeep Thakkar to explain his condition. This wasn't an easy process for Faulk, who started to notice the symptoms in his daily life.
Faulk, 53, said that he first noticed an issue in his hand while playing golf. This went from a slight concern to asking his doctor about it during a routine physical. After being tested, Faulk learned about the disease and how it could affect him in the future.
"I didn’t look at it like if I got a diagnosis, it was something bad (or) that life was going to end,” Faulk said. “I treat it like I’ve had a bunch of surgeries on my right knee. There are some parts in it that aren’t mine, that aren’t original. My back, it hurts every once in a while.“It’s something you live with. It’s not to where it’s a detriment to your livelihood. Now, if you don’t take care of it, there’s an opportunity for that to be."
Faulk is one of the best running backs in NFL history. He made a name for himself at San Diego State before becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Faulk made seven Pro Bowls, and was the 2000 NFL MVP. He also won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams as part of the Greatest Show on Turf. He ran for 12,279 yards and 100 touchdowns in his 12-year career, adding 767 receptions for 6,875 yards and 36 more touchdowns.
Now that Faulk knows his diagnosis, he'll be able to understand what's happening and work around the symptoms.
A large study by Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation evaluated 19,824 former NFL players who played between 1960 and 2019 and found that 39 deceased players in the cohort had died specifically from Parkinson’s disease.
What is the rate of former players getting the disease? According to USA TODAY, there is no exact total number of all living former NFL players currently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. There's no comprehensive census, but studies show former players have a 3.88 times higher risk of dying from Parkinson’s disease compared to the general population.
Another clinical study on former elite football players found that 13.3% of former NFL players met clinical criteria for parkinsonism (movement disorders that include Parkinson’s disease symptoms), compared to 3.3% in a control group.
“The little tremors that I get, you know, they are what they are,” Faulk said. “I just pay attention to my gait, you know, while I walk, when I’m working out, my ability to balance. It’s still where it is.”
Faulk is in his first season as a head coach at Southern. The Jaguars are 3-4 and 1-2 in SWAC play. He was an assistant coach under Deion Sanders at Colorado in 2025.
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