Marshall Faulk Says He Has Been Managing Parkinson’s Disease for 18 Months

Faulk describes diagnosis and treatment

Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk said he has Parkinson’s disease and has been managing the diagnosis for about 18 months, making the disclosure in an episode of The Caring Neurologist released Wednesday. Faulk, 53, told host Dr. Sandeep Thakkar that treatment has helped him maintain his daily routine and remain active. His comments describe his own medical experience and do not establish how another person with similar symptoms should be evaluated or treated. ^{[1] [2]}

Faulk said he first noticed stiffness and an intermittent tremor in one hand while putting during golf. After the movement continued even when he was not playing a competitive round, he mentioned it during a routine physical. His doctor advised him to seek a specialist’s evaluation, Faulk said. He did not provide a more precise diagnosis date, identify his treating physicians or disclose a detailed treatment plan. ^{[1] [3]}

In the interview, Faulk said medication has reduced the problems he experiences. He said he still notices occasional tremors and pays attention to his gait and balance while exercising, but has continued his normal activities. “I just think I caught it early,” he said. Those statements reflect Faulk’s account of his condition; neither the podcast nor the reports reviewing it offered an independent clinical assessment. ^{[1] [2]}

A call for regular health checks

Faulk followed the interview with a public statement Thursday encouraging athletes and men more broadly to prioritize regular medical checkups, notice changes in their bodies and seek professional guidance when something feels wrong. He said he chose to discuss the diagnosis to bring attention to Parkinson’s disease and to encourage others to be proactive about their health. The podcast itself states that its material is informational and is not medical advice. ^{[1] [3]}

The disclosure comes during Faulk’s first season as head coach at Southern University in Baton Rouge. Southern hired him after he spent a season coaching running backs at Colorado. No announcement from Faulk or the university indicated that the diagnosis had changed his coaching duties, and Faulk said in the interview that he remained functional and active. ^{[2] [3]}

A Hall of Fame football career

Faulk played 12 NFL seasons after the Indianapolis Colts selected him second overall in the 1994 draft. He later became a central figure in the St. Louis Rams’ high-scoring offense, helped the team win Super Bowl XXXIV and was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2000 season. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, he finished with 12,279 rushing yards, 6,875 receiving yards and 136 total touchdowns before entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017. ^{[2] [4]}