Kevin Faulk facts for kids
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Faulk at LSU in 2019
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| New York Giants | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Running backs coach | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | June 5, 1976 Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Carencro (LA) | ||||||||||
| College: | LSU | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1999 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| As coach: | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
As an assistant coach:
As a player:
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Kevin Troy Faulk (born June 5, 1976) is a former professional football player. He was a running back for 13 seasons with the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL). Kevin played college football for the LSU Tigers. He earned top honors as a first-team All-American. The Patriots chose him in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft.
Faulk was known for being a very flexible player. He played many different roles on offense and special teams. He helped the Patriots win their first three Super Bowl championships. Because of his great achievements, he was added to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2016. After his playing career, Faulk coached at LSU from 2018 to 2021. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
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Early Life and High School Success
Kevin Faulk was born in Lafayette, Louisiana. He went to Carencro High School in Carencro, Louisiana. There, he helped his team win the 1992 State Championship. During his high school career, Faulk ran for over 4,800 yards. He also gained over 7,600 total yards and scored 89 touchdowns. He was named Louisiana's Most Valuable Player twice. He also received All-American honors from USA Today and Parade magazines.
College Football Career at LSU
After high school, Faulk attended Louisiana State University. He immediately became the starting running back for the LSU football team in 1995. In 1996, the Associated Press named him to the College Football All-America Team.
Amazing Comeback Against Houston
On September 7, 1996, LSU played against the Houston Cougars. LSU was losing 34–14 at the end of the third quarter. Many fans even left Tiger Stadium early. But Faulk took over the game in the fourth quarter. He ran for a school record of 246 yards. He also returned four punts for another 106 yards. LSU won the game by one point, 35–34, with Houston scoring no points in the final quarter.
Record-Breaking College Stats
In 1997, Faulk ran for 1,144 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He did even better in 1998, rushing for 1,279 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
Faulk finished his LSU career with 4,557 rushing yards. This was the second-best in SEC history at the time. He also had 6,833 total yards and 53 touchdowns. This made him first in SEC history for total yards. In 1999, Faulk earned his degree in kinesiology from LSU. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
| Season | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | TD | ||||
| 1995 | LSU | 10 | 174 | 852 | 4.9 | 6 | 5 | 86 | 17.2 | 1 | 179 | 938 | 7 | |
| 1996 | LSU | 11 | 248 | 1,282 | 5.2 | 13 | 10 | 134 | 13.4 | 0 | 258 | 1,416 | 13 | |
| 1997 | LSU | 9 | 205 | 1,144 | 5.6 | 15 | 16 | 93 | 5.8 | 0 | 221 | 1,237 | 15 | |
| 1998 | LSU | 11 | 229 | 1,279 | 5.6 | 12 | 22 | 287 | 13.0 | 3 | 251 | 1,566 | 15 | |
| College totals | 41 | 856 | 4,557† | 5.3 | 46† | 53 | 600 | 11.3 | 4 | 909 | 5,157 | 50† | ||
Notes:
- * Does not include bowl games
- † LSU record
Professional NFL Career
Joining the New England Patriots
The New England Patriots selected Kevin Faulk in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. He was the 46th player chosen overall.
People called him the Patriots' "Swiss Army knife" because he could do so many things. He played as a running back, but also as a wide receiver sometimes. He was also a key player on special teams as a gunner and a return specialist. He was not always the main running back, but he was great at catching the ball, blocking, and running when needed. In 2016, he was honored by being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Early Seasons (1999–2002)
In his first season in 1999, Faulk started the first two games. An ankle injury kept him out for a short time. He returned as a backup player. He finished the season with over 1,300 total yards. He also returned a kickoff for 95 yards against the New York Jets.
In 2000, Faulk shared the starting role. He led the team with 570 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 51 passes for 465 yards. He was very active on special teams, leading the team in kickoff return yards.
For the 2001 season, Faulk played a backup role. He was second on the team in rushing yards. He also caught 30 passes and led the team in kickoff returns. In a game against the Miami Dolphins, Faulk even completed a 23-yard pass to quarterback Tom Brady. Faulk and the Patriots went on to win Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams. His cousin, Marshall Faulk, played for the Rams.
In 2002, Faulk had over 1,400 total yards. He ran for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 37 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns. He returned 26 kickoffs for 725 yards and two touchdowns. His seven total touchdowns were second-highest on the team. He also broke the Patriots' record for total kickoff return yards. He was the only NFL player in 2002 to score multiple touchdowns in three different ways: rushing, receiving, and kick returns.
Super Bowl Wins (2003–2004)
In 2003, Faulk had over 1,300 total yards. He started eight games and had career highs in rushing yards (638) and receptions (48). The Patriots finished the season with a great 14–2 record. They went on to win Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers. Faulk helped with 42 rushing yards and 19 receiving yards in the game.
In 2004, Faulk played in 11 games as a backup. He had 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 248 yards. The Patriots had another 14–2 record and won Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Later Seasons (2005–2011)
Faulk played in the first three games of 2005. He then had a foot injury and returned later in the season. In 2006, Faulk was healthy again. He played in 15 games, rushing for 123 yards and catching 43 passes. He also returned many kickoffs and punts. In November 2006, he passed Tony Collins to become the Patriots' all-time leader in receptions by a running back.
In 2007, Faulk started 8 games. He was voted an offensive captain for the first time. He rushed for 265 yards and caught 47 passes.
For the 2008 season, Faulk played in almost every game. He had 507 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also had a career-high 58 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns.
In 2009, Faulk started 7 games. He rushed for 335 yards and caught 37 passes. During this season, Faulk became the Patriots' all-time leader in all-purpose yards, with over 12,140 yards. He also became one of only 26 running backs in NFL history with at least 400 receptions.
Faulk's 2010 season ended early. In Week 2, he tore his ACL during a game against the Jets. He was placed on injured reserve, ending his season. On July 30, 2011, Faulk re-signed with the Patriots. He returned to practice after Week 6.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 1999 | NE | 11 | 67 | 227 | 3.4 | 43 | 1 | 12 | 98 | 8.2 | 19 | 1 |
| 2000 | NE | 16 | 164 | 570 | 3.5 | 18 | 4 | 51 | 465 | 9.1 | 52 | 1 |
| 2001 | NE | 15 | 41 | 169 | 4.1 | 24 | 1 | 30 | 189 | 6.3 | 28 | 2 |
| 2002 | NE | 15 | 52 | 271 | 5.2 | 45 | 2 | 37 | 379 | 10.2 | 36 | 3 |
| 2003 | NE | 15 | 178 | 638 | 3.6 | 23 | 0 | 48 | 440 | 9.2 | 27 | 0 |
| 2004 | NE | 11 | 54 | 255 | 4.7 | 20 | 2 | 26 | 248 | 9.5 | 31 | 1 |
| 2005 | NE | 8 | 51 | 145 | 2.8 | 13 | 0 | 29 | 260 | 9.0 | 23 | 0 |
| 2006 | NE | 15 | 25 | 123 | 4.9 | 11 | 1 | 43 | 356 | 8.3 | 43 | 2 |
| 2007 | NE | 16 | 62 | 265 | 4.3 | 14 | 0 | 47 | 383 | 8.1 | 23 | 1 |
| 2008 | NE | 15 | 83 | 507 | 6.1 | 41 | 3 | 58 | 486 | 8.4 | 22 | 3 |
| 2009 | NE | 15 | 62 | 335 | 5.4 | 29 | 2 | 37 | 301 | 8.1 | 38 | 1 |
| 2010 | NE | 2 | 8 | 45 | 5.6 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 62 | 10.3 | 21 | 1 |
| 2011 | NE | 7 | 17 | 57 | 3.4 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 34 | 4.9 | 18 | 0 |
| Career | 161 | 864 | 3,607 | 4.2 | 45 | 16 | 431 | 3,701 | 8.6 | 52 | 15 | |
Retirement and Hall of Fame Honors
On October 9, 2012, Kevin Faulk officially announced his retirement from football. He held a special ceremony at the Hall at Patriot Place. After retiring, Faulk appeared on NESN to talk about games. He also appeared on a radio show called The Real Pre-Game Show.
In 2015, Faulk was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. On May 18, 2016, fans voted him into the Patriots Hall of Fame. He won against other great players like Raymond Clayborn and Mike Vrabel.
Coaching Career
High School Coaching
Carencro High School
From 2013 to 2017, Faulk was an assistant coach at his old high school, Carencro High School. He also served as the offensive coordinator.
College Coaching
LSU
On January 24, 2018, Faulk became the Director of Player Development for the LSU football program. He held this role for two seasons. On February 24, 2020, Faulk was promoted to running backs coach at LSU. He coached there until the end of the 2021 season.
Professional Coaching
New York Giants
In August 2022, Faulk joined the New York Giants. He was named a running backs intern for the team.
Personal Life
Kevin Faulk is married and has three children. He is a cousin of NFL Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk. He is also related to former NFL player Trev Faulk.
See also
- LSU Tigers football statistical leaders
