In an emotional interview at the NESN studios, Faulk sounded like a man whose playing days are done, but the 35-year-old running back and member of the Patriots’ 50th anniversary team stopped short of declaring himself retired, leaving the door open for a 14th NFL season.
This season was difficult for Faulk, starting on the eve of training camp when he was told he would begin the season on the physically unable to perform list. Faulk had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee 10 months earlier, and team doctors determined he could use the extra time to rehab.
Faulk called it “stunning’’ news, and for the first two weeks of training camp he was just going through the motions, trying to motivate himself.
The difficult moments continued right through the Super Bowl.
Running backs coach Ivan Fears, the only position coach Faulk has had in his career, broke the news the morning of the game that he would be among the inactive players. Faulk was in uniform for the AFC Championship game two weeks earlier but didn’t play.
“That morning, when I got the word that I wasn’t going to dress . . . wow,’’ Faulk said. “I went in the room, cried a little bit, because 75 percent of me knew that this could be my last game playing, not playing, just dressing. If I dress, there could be that chance that I could play.
“So that really crushed me a whole lot. Went into my room, read my Bible, read so many different Scriptures, so many different chapters in the Bible, until it was time to go to the stadium. [I took] my exit physical after the game and the trainers give me a big hug and that’s when I knew, like ‘Wow, that might be it.’
“Going through that evening after the game and worrying about the loss and being like, wow, guys have another opportunity to come back next year and do it again. Mine is very slim, and it’s not by my choice this time.’’
Faulk is a free agent, having played the last couple of seasons on one-year contracts. It is believed he would not want to play for another franchise.
