Marshall Faulk, Hall of Fame running back, reveals he has Parkinson’s disease

Hall of Fame running back and Southern University football coach Marshall Faulk revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and hopes early detection will give him chances “at living a better quality of life.”

The 53-year-old made the announcement on “The Caring Neurologist” podcast on Wednesday, telling host Dr. Sandeep Thakkar that he hopes others will look out for early symptoms in themselves.

“What you want to do with that information is pass it on to the next generation to make sure that they have it better. that they know more,” Faulk said. “And you’re doing the leave this world a better place than it was, you know, when I got here.”

The progressive nervous system disorder affects more than a million Americans.

Faulk said he has been living with the condition for about 18 months and has experienced some hand rigidity and tremors.

“I think I caught it early and I’m in a good place,” the football icon said. ”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. 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.”

The coach is optimistic that medications can, at least in the immediate future, stave off the most serious symptoms of Parkinson’s.

“The earlier you catch it, the better chance you have at living a better quality of life with medication compared to if you catch it later, then you, the things that you start to have, the things that you go through, it makes life a little bit more difficult,” he said.

Faulk said he took inspiration from meeting Muhammad Ali in the boxer’s later years as the champ fought Parkinson’s.

“I sat next to him and he leaned over to me and he whispered, ‘You a bad boy,’” Faulk fondly recalled of having dinner with Ali. “And then he made a couple other comments. I was like, ‘He’s all there.’”

Faulk played 12 years in the NFL, seven for the then-St. Louis Rams and five for the Indianapolis Colts. He rushed for 12,279 yards, 13th most in league history.

But it Faulk’s ability to catch the football which made him one of the game’s most dangerous weapons. His 19,514 total yards from scrimmage ranks 5th all-time.

Faulk and his “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams won the 2000 Super Bowl, in a game best known for Mike Jones’ game-saving tackle of Kevin Dyson at the Rams’ 1-yard line as time expired.

Faulk caught 5 passes for 90 yards in that game played at the Georgia Dome.

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The No. 2 overall pick in 1994 out of San Diego State was inducted into Canton in 2011.

He is in his first season as head coach at Southern and the Jaguars are 3-4. Southern plays Saturday against Texas Southern at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

Representatives for Southern could did immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment on Friday.

Faulk said he’s not yet experienced any cognitive issues. Parkinson’s can bring sleep, memory, problem solving and other brain-related challenges.

“My brain’s fine,” the coach said. “I feel clear of thought and I guess that’s a good thing.”

Faulk said he’s aware of difficulties that could be in his future and is already taking steps to more clearly organize his thoughts.

“Life has been, I want to say, normal,” the Hall of Fame running back said. “I take better notes, I’m more concise when I’m doing interviews.”