Hall of Fame RB Marshall Faulk reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis

Marshall Faulk, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and current coach at Southern University, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Faulk, 53, who was the No. 1 pick (and second overall) of the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994 NFL draft, revealed his condition during a podcast on Wednesday, ESPN reported.

Faulk, on “The Caring Neurologist,” told host Sandeep Thakkar that he had been dealing with the disease for about 18 months, according to People.

He added that because of his medication is not experiencing any issues beyond “hand rigidity” and “little tremors.”

“I get a physical twice a year,” Faulk told Thakkar, according to NBC Sports. “I’m a little anal about my health. I literally asked my doctor because I noticed it as I was playing golf. I noticed the rigidity in my hand after I play a lot or practice a lot, I thought it was just normal nerves when putting and stuff like that. But it started to be times where I wasn’t playing -- I mean, where I was playing, but I wasn’t in a match, and it would still do that.

“I was like, ‘Wow, is that something? Is that normal?’ And the doctor was like, ‘You need to go get checked. You need to go have X, Y and Z done.’”

Faulk told Thakkar that he is making his condition public because “I want to help as many people as I can.”

Faulk played 12 seasons in the NFL, including seven with the St. Louis Rams. He was the league’s most valuable player in 2001 and won a ring with the Rams for winning Super Bowl XXXIV after the 1999 season.

Faulk gained 12,279 yards during the regular season and scored 100 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 767 passes for 6,875 yards and 36 touchdowns.

After major knee surgery, Faulk retired in 2007, ESPN reported. The two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, his first year of eligibility.

Before his pro career, Faulk was a two-time All-America selection at running back for San Diego State University.

Faulk took the coaching job at Southern University last November, according to the cable sports network. He has a 3-4 record this season.

He said he remains active and does not plan to slow down.

“I don’t look at it as something that’s terminal,” Faulk told Thakkar. “It’s like, ‘Hey, you get to live with this.’ There’s far worse things out there.”

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