Marshall Faulk: Career retrospective

Marshall Faulk grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He got involved in sports at a young age. At Carver High School, Faulk played cornerback, running back, and ran track. When his high school career ended, he packed his bags and headed West after committing to San Diego State.

Faulk entered the halls of San Diego State as an unknown freshman running back. By the end of his freshman year, this would change. In his second college game, Faulk rushed for 386 yards and seven touchdowns against Pacific University. One game changed the course of Faulk’s career and put him on the map.

Faulk rumbled for 1,630 yards and 15 touchdowns in his sophomore season. Faulk’s show-stopping performance put him in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy. When it came time for the voters to cast their ballot, Faulk finished second, losing to Miami quarterback Gino Torretta. While Faulk put the team on his back, The San Diego Aztecs went 5-5-1, and some voters couldn’t see past that. They thought the award should go to the best player on the best team. Faulk losing the Heisman to Torretta was a major controversy.

On the sunny campus of San Diego State, Faulk wrote the first stanzas of his poetic career. A stud for the Aztecs, he rushed for 1,530 yards and 21 touchdowns in his final year with the program. Faulk was a West Coast sensation during his time with the Aztecs. He’s the best running back in the school’s history, and his jersey number (28) hangs among the rafters at the Aztec stadium. Faulk was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Faulk impressed NFL scouts his entire college career. During the NFL Combine, the 5-foot-10, 211-pound back ran a scorching hot 4.35 40-yard dash. From the get-go, Faulk was considered a top-five player in the 1994 NFL Draft Class. The Indianapolis Colts selected the San Diego State alum on draft day with the second overall pick. It was official, Faulk made it to the NFL!

Faulk introduced himself to the NFL with 1,282 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He revived the Colts' stagnant run game. He helped the Colts improve their win total from four the previous year to eight in his rookie year. In the end, Faulk won the 1994 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He also made his first Pro Bowl appearance. The future was bright for Faulk.

The 1995 Colts exceeded expectations and shocked the football world during their wild playoff run. Led by quarterback Jim Harbaugh (yep, that Jim Harbaugh), the Colts went 9-7 and left some energy in the tank for the playoffs. The Colts galloped to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers after a failed last-second Hail Mary attempt by Harbaugh. Faulk proved to be a budding star in his second year in the league.

The all-purpose back had an off year in 1996 when he totaled 3.0 yards per carry. The next season, he rebounded by rushing for 1,054 yards and seven touchdowns. Faulk’s efforts weren’t enough to influence the win column as the Colts limped to 3-13.

Don’t feel too bad for the Colts' losing ways. It won them the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft and the rights to draft Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning. The once-in-a-lifetime quarterback prospect would go on to flip the Colts' fortunes. Before leading the Colts to glory, Manning had a little help from his friend: Faulk. 

Faulk helped him get over the rookie learning curve and became the team’s top offensive threat, recording 10 touchdowns and a league-leading 2,227 scrimmage yards in 1998. The Colts went 3-13 in Manning’s rookie year.

The Colts traded their star running back to the St. Louis Rams for second-round and fifth-round picks. A rebuilding team looking to pile on wins, the Rams brought in Faulk as the offense's centerpiece. It would be one of the most lopsided trades in league history.

The Rams' season was off to a rough start. Prized offseason acquisition Trent Green went down with an injury. The unproven Kurt Warner played quarterback for the Rams for the rest of the year. The rest is history. Faulk became just the second running back in league history to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. Roger Craig was the first in 1985, and Christian McCaffrey joined the club in 2019,  per Statmuse. In total, Faulk galloped for a league-leading 2,429 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Rams went 13-3 in 1999 and went from worst to first in the NFC. They trounced over the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers en route to Super Bowl XXXIV. On football’s biggest stage, they beat the Tennessee Titans by a score of 23-16. Faulk charged forward for 82 rushing yards and a touchdown during the playoffs. He caught 13 receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown in the air.

Faulk was crowned NFL MVP in 2000 after totaling 2,189 yards from scrimmage and a league-leading 26 touchdowns. Faulk gained a ridiculous 6.6 yards per touch. The Rams' attack became the first team in NFL history to gain 7,000 yards, and they scored 540 points. Unfortunately, the Rams suffered a first-round playoff exit thanks to injuries.

The Rams got back on track in 2001. Faulk made some noise with 2,147 scrimmage yards and a league-leading 21 total touchdowns in just 14 games. Faulk won his third consecutive Offensive Player of the Year, completing the three-peat. The Rams went 14-2 and lost Super Bowl XXXVI against the New England Patriots by a score of 20-17. The game kickstarted the New England Patriots' 20-year dynasty.

From 1999-2001, Faulk was part of "The Greatest Show on Turf." Considered the greatest offense of all time by fans and analysts, they revolutionized football and ushered in the pass-first, spread-offense era of football. The juggernaut of an offense featured four Hall of Famers: Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Issac Bruce, and Orlando Pace. Their head coach, Dıck Vermeil, is also in the Hall of Fame. They went to two Super Bowls in three years, winning one.

"The Greatest Show on Turf" broke up just as quickly as it was assembled. The majority of its members either retired or left for a richer contract in free agency. Faulk remained with the Rams until 2006. At 32 years old, the aging back rammed his way forward for 583 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. While he was in the “last call” stage of his career, Faulk was still a great teammate and a respected player around the league. He also mentored Steven Jackson, who later became the Rams' all-time leading rusher. Faulk hung up the cleats after the 2006 season.

The City of St. Louis has been blessed with several great athletes, including Albert Pujols, Bob Pettit, and Brett Hull. Faulk is definitely right up there with St. Louis’ finest. He was a member of the franchise’s best era. Faulk’s jersey number was retired by the Rams.

Offensive coordinators dream of having a player like Faulk. He was one of the most versatile backs in NFL history. The dual-threat back could run with the best of them while possessing the hands of a wide receiver. Faulk finished his career with the most receiving yards for a running back in NFL history, per Statmuse. He is also fifth all-time in career scrimmage yards, per Statmuse.

Faulk was enshrined into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton as a member of the stacked Class of 2011. Faulk logged career totals of 2,836 carries, 12,279 rushing yards, and 100 touchdowns. Always a threat in the passing game, he caught 767 receptions for 6,875 yards and 36 touchdowns. Faulk’s Hall of Fame bust sits next to many of his teammates from the "Greatest Show on Turf."

Faulk is enjoying the good life in retirement. He was a football analyst for NFL Network on their series NFL Total Access and NFL GameDay Morning. He married Lindsay Stoudt and has five kids. They divorced in 2014. His son, Marshall Faulk Jr., was a former running back with Central Washington State.