Ever since the inception of the New England Patriots in 1960, the franchise has had a slew of successful running backs. Many running backs have run on the grounds in Foxborough on a path of success. This week’s New England Patriot of the Past is no different. Leading up to the start of the regular season, the New England Patriots office at Last Word on Pro Football will be chronicling a different Patriots legend each week. Last week, defensive tackle Jim Lee Hunt was profiled. This week we take a look back at a man who resembled what it means to be a Patriot, three-time Super Bowl Champion Kevin Faulk.
Kevin Faulk: New England Patriots of the Past
A Louisiana Man For LSU
Faulk was born on June 5, 1976, in Lafayette, LA. Faulk attended Carencro High School and led them to the 1992 Class 5A State Football Championship. He was chosen as the Lousiana Most Valuable Player twice and was named an All-American by USA Today and Parade. After Carencro, Faulk signed to play with at Lousiana State University (LSU) for the Tigers.
One of his finest moments at LSU came in 1996 in a matchup against the Houston Cougars. In the 1996 season opener, Houston led 34-14 at halftime. In the second half, Kevin Faulk took over and ran for an LSU record 246 yards along with 106 yards on punt returns. Faulk’s effort led the Tigers to a 35-34 victory over Houston.
20 years ago this week…
LSU’s Rondell Mealey, Cecil Collins and Kevin Faulk… grace the cover of The Sporting News College Football Edition Magazine 1998… pic.twitter.com/n8ckd9qUOH— Michael Detillier (@MikeDetillier) May 30, 2018
Kevin Faulk left LSU as one of the best running backs in the history of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He finished with 4,557 rushing yards which are an LSU record. His 6,883 all-purpose yards still stand as an SEC record. As a result, Faulk was taken in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Patriots.
Kevin Faulk: A True Patriot
After LSU, the Patriots drafted Faulk with the 46th overall selection in the 1999 NFL Draft. He resembled the Patriots way better than almost anybody in the history of the franchise. Faulk did whatever was asked of him in New England. Some weeks Faulk would start and other times his role would become smaller based on the week’s matchup. As a result of his unselfish attitude, he was able to help the Patriots be a successful force during the Bill Belichick era.
Faulk won his first Super Bowl in 2001 in a reserve role with the Patriots. In 2003 Faulk compiled 1,351 all-purpose yards including a career-high 638 rushing yards to go with 440 receiving yards. In the Super Bowl, Faulk’s 23-yard run and two-point conversion in the fourth quarter helped New England defeat the Carolina Panthers. Due to Faulk’s performance in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Panthers, the Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three seasons. Again due to his unselfish attitude, the 2004 Patriots won their third Lombardi Trophy over the Philadephia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Life After Football
Kevin Faulk retired after the 2011 season. He finished his career with 3,607 rushing yards, 3,701 receiving yards, and 60 total touchdowns. As a result of being a fan favorite, Faulk was voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2016. This was on display at the 2016 NFL Draft. Due to the Roger Goodell led witchhunt that was Deflategate, Faulk represented and showed support for Tom Brady when announcing the team’s draft pick. Faulk wore a Brady jersey, showing Goodell who the man is. Faulk is currently the Director of Player Development at LSU for the Tigers football team.
