Marshall Faulk is stepping into his first season at Southern with something far more personal than football on his mind: a Parkinson’s diagnosis he says he’s been managing for about 18 months.
The Southern head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer opened up about the condition on The Caring Neurologist podcast with Dr. Sandeep Thakkar, released Wednesday, Oct.
- Faulk said he first noticed something was off while doing one of the things he enjoys most, and what seemed like ordinary nerves kept showing up in situations that didn’t make sense.
"I just thought it was normal nerves when putting and stuff like that," Faulk said. "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."
That led him to speak with a doctor, who urged him to get further evaluation. Faulk said the diagnosis didn’t send him spiraling. Instead, he framed it as something he needed to manage head-on.
"I didn't look at it like I got a diagnosis, it was something bad that I was, you know, life was going to end," Faulk said. "Now, if you don't take care of it, there's an opportunity for that to be, but you have to take care of it."
Faulk said medication has helped significantly.
"And since I've started on the medication, I don't really have a lot of issues," he said.
He also said he has been more active and sleeping better since beginning treatment. Even with the diagnosis, Faulk said his day-to-day life has stayed largely the same, and he considers himself fortunate that the condition was caught early.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and can cause tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement, and problems with balance. Symptoms and their progression vary from person to person. There is no cure, but medications and other therapies can help manage symptoms and preserve quality of life.
Faulk used the interview to push a bigger message, urging people not to brush off changes in their health. He stressed the value of checking in with medical professionals and getting treatment early. He also encouraged listeners to "go beyond your resources" when looking for care, including seeking help outside their immediate communities.
The Caring Neurologist says its podcast content is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. For information about Parkinson's disease, treatment options or specialist referrals, the Parkinson's Foundation helpline is 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).
Faulk’s disclosure comes while he is leading Southern’s football program in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in his first season as head coach. Southern introduced him on Dec. 1, 2025, after he spent the previous season as running backs coach at Colorado under Deion Sanders.
The New Orleans native inherited a Jaguars team that went 2-10 overall and 1-7 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play in 2025. Southern is now 3-4 overall and 1-2 in SWAC competition. The Jaguars are set to play Texas Southern on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, and will close the regular season Nov. 28 against Grambling State in the 53rd Bayou Classic at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Before coaching at Southern, Faulk built a Hall of Fame career as one of the most complete running backs the NFL has ever seen. A New Orleans native and former San Diego State star, he was selected second overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994 NFL Draft.
He spent 12 seasons with the Colts and St. Louis Rams, becoming a centerpiece of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense.
Faulk helped St. Louis win Super Bowl XXXIV and won NFL Most Valuable Player honors after the 2000 season before retiring after 2005.
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