Marshall Faulk has gone public with a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, and the Southern head football coach is making one thing clear: he wants people to pay attention early and get care.
Faulk talked about the condition on an episode of The Caring Neurologist podcast with Dr. Sandeep Thakkar, released Wednesday, Oct.
- The 53-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer said he’s been living with Parkinson’s for about 18 months, and he pointed to medication, more physical activity and better sleep as the biggest reasons he’s been able to handle it.
For Faulk, the first signs showed up in a place where he expected to be relaxed: on the golf course.
"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."
What he initially brushed off as nerves kept showing up even when the pressure wasn’t there, which pushed him to bring it to a doctor. That conversation led to further evaluation and, ultimately, the diagnosis he says he has been learning to manage while still handling his life and work.
Faulk said his reaction wasn’t panic.
"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."
He said treatment has made a real difference.
"And since I've started on the medication, I don't really have a lot of issues," he said.
Faulk added that he has become more active and is sleeping more since starting treatment, and he described his day-to-day life as largely unchanged. He said he feels fortunate the condition was caught early.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and can lead to tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement and balance problems, with symptoms varying from person to person. There is no cure, but medications and other therapies can help manage it and improve quality of life.
Faulk also used the podcast to urge others not to ignore changes in their health. He stressed the need to recognize symptoms, see medical professionals and get proper treatment. He also told listeners to "go beyond your resources" when looking for help, including seeking care outside their immediate communities.
The Caring Neurologist says its podcast content is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The Parkinson’s Foundation helpline is 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for people seeking information about the disease, treatment options or specialist referrals.
Faulk’s disclosure comes during his first season as Southern’s head coach in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 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 took over a Jaguars team that finished 2-10 overall and 1-7 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play in 2025.
Southern is 3-4 overall and 1-2 in SWAC competition heading into its next game against Texas Southern on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The regular season ends Nov. 28 against Grambling State in the 53rd Bayou Classic at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Before coming to Southern, Faulk built a Hall of Fame career as one of the game’s most versatile running backs. A New Orleans native and former San Diego State standout, he was taken second overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994 NFL Draft.
He played 12 NFL seasons with the Colts and St. Louis Rams, became a key piece of the Rams’ "Greatest Show on Turf" attack, helped St.
Louis win Super Bowl XXXIV and won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award after the 2000 season.
Now, in his first season leading an HBCU program, Faulk is speaking about something far bigger than football - and asking others to take their health seriously.
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