One of the most versatile running backs in NFL history is opening up about a new challenge.
Marshall Faulk, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and head football coach at Southern University, revealed Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
What did Marshall Faulk say about his diagnosis?
Faulk, 53, shared the news on a podcast hosted by a neurologist. He said he wants to help as many people as he can by talking openly about the disease. The podcast focuses on conversations about neurological conditions.
He has been living with Parkinson’s for about a year and a half. With medication, he said, his only symptoms are rigidity in his hands, which he does not believe has worsened, and small tremors.
Marshall Faulk also said he has experienced no decline in his thinking and that his mind feels clear.
How did Marshall Faulk discover he had Parkinson’s?
He noticed stiffness in his hands after playing golf. At first, he assumed it was normal nerves while putting, but the rigidity kept happening even during casual rounds. He noticed it when he was not under any competitive pressure, which made him question whether something else was going on.
Marshall Faulk said he gets physicals twice a year, and when he raised the issue, his doctor told him he needed to get checked. He credited that routine checkup for catching the problem.
How is Faulk approaching the disease?
He does not view it as a terminal diagnosis. Faulk recalled having dinner with boxing great Muhammad Ali, who lived with Parkinson’s for decades, and coming away convinced that Ali was still fully present.
He compares the disease to the injuries he lives with from his playing days, including several surgeries on his right knee and a back that still aches at times. It is something you live with, he said, as long as you take care of it.
He also pointed to actor Michael J. Fox, who has managed Parkinson’s for decades, as an example. Fox was diagnosed in 1991 and has since helped fund research through his foundation, one of the largest backers of Parkinson’s research in the world.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. Common symptoms include tremors, stiffness, slowed movement and balance problems.
About 1 million people in the United States live with the disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. There is no cure, but medications and regular exercise can help manage symptoms for years. Many people live with the condition for decades.
Symptoms and progression vary widely from person to person. Anyone noticing persistent tremors or stiffness should talk with a doctor.
What is Marshall Faulk’s football legacy?
Marshall Faulk starred at San Diego State, where he was twice named an All-American, before spending more than 10 seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams.
With the Rams, he won a Super Bowl and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. He retired in 2007 after major knee surgery and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011, his first year of eligibility. He also won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award three straight years.
He coached on Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado before Southern hired him last November. He has led the historically Black university in Baton Rouge to three wins and four losses this season. Southern competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
By sharing his story, Marshall Faulk hopes to show that a Parkinson’s diagnosis does not have to mean the end of a full life.
