DMD Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 It's time, Marshall. It's time. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk is not attending the team's final minicamp this weekend while contemplating retirement because of knees that have been slow to recover from offseason cleanup surgery. New coach Scott Linehan said Friday that two weeks ago Faulk, who has undergone numerous such surgeries on both knees, expressed his concerns. Linehan said Faulk's agent, Rocky Arceneaux, told him again on Thursday that Faulk "wasn't physically ready to go." "Guys that have played at such a high level for so many years and have taken so many hits, sometimes it starts to wear you down a little bit," Linehan said. "He's trying to figure out how he can manage it." Faulk, the 2000 NFL MVP, is ninth on the career rushing list with 12,279 yards, 34 yards behind Jim Brown. But he had a career-low 292 yards rushing last year and made only one start, in the season finale when Steven Jackson was out with a hip pointer. Linehan said under the circumstances that he didn't mind Faulk not at least attending the meetings at the minicamp to pick up the new offense. Linehan reasoned that if Faulk had attended the camp, he would have wanted to participate even though he's not ready. "He's dealing with something bigger than meetings," Linehan said. "I think he's coming to terms with whether he can do it. "The competitor in him wouldn't want to be able to stand there and watch." Faulk, 33, has been to seven Pro Bowls, has seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons and 38 100-yard games, and was the first player in NFL history to gain 2,000 yards from scrimmage in four consecutive seasons from 1998-2001. But he hasn't had a 1,000-yard season since 2001 and lost his starting job in 2004 when the Rams drafted Jackson in the first round. Linehan said Faulk's decision has nothing to do with a change in coaching staffs. Mike Martz, under whom Faulk enjoyed his greatest success, was fired last year after six seasons. "It really isn't that at all," Linehan said. "This is a personal issue because he doesn't want to play at a level he's not accustomed to playing. "The reality is time does start to catch up to you." Linehan said he hasn't begun to address the running back situation if Faulk decides to retire. The Rams signed Tony Fisher, who had 173 yards and a 2.9-yard average for the Packers last year, in the offseason, but have no other proven NFL players at running back. "I haven't even gotten there yet," Linehan said. "We just haven't had to cross that bridge yet." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 If so - HoF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentastic Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 If so - HoF? Certainly the Fantasy football HOF!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 I'd be pretty shocked to see him retire, actually. Perhaps he hangs up his cleats, though. Wouldn't want to see him pull an Emmitt Smith and go to a garbage team. I do, however, think he still has some life in those legs and could probably help a team out with his receiving skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Don't know his stats, but I'd say HOF based on how productive he was for the time he played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Don't know his stats, but I'd say HOF based on how productive he was for the time he played. 12279 yards career 4.3 average 100 TD's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 12279 yards career 4.3 average 100 TD's. Plus a chit load of receiving yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 HOF? Absolutely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaw23 Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Definitely HoF, I don't see how we couldn't be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 I do, however, think he still has some life in those legs and could probably help a team out with his receiving skills. There might be some life in the legs, but it's the knees I'm worried about. They're shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 If so - HoF? I'd say first ballot HoF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 I'd say first ballot HoF. Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Listening to ESPN radio The Huddle today (Saturdays between 3 & 7 ET) and they're both (Clayton & Salisbury) saying they would not be at all surprised if Marshall were to call it quits. Some things they mentioned. His knees are plain & simply, shot. Marshall has apparently done very well with his outside business investments. He owns, or has substantial parts of, several companies. He could easily take on a more prominent role in any of these businesses, if not for football. He is a great candidate to Coach. He is a natural at broadcasting. Oh Yeah! They both figure him to be a 1st ballot HoF'er. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted June 10, 2006 Author Share Posted June 10, 2006 I believe he is 8th all-time in rushing yardage. Won a superbowl 3 time Offensive player of the year 2000 league MVP I think he is 6th in rushing TDs Start carving the bust now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 HOF? Absolutely. Yep...without question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 HOF? Absolutely. ^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Ok. Still listening to Clayton & Salisbury. They had Warner on and asked him what he thought about Faulk for this year and Warner said his wife told him that she thought Faulk was going to play for one more year, so that's what he thinks too. So after the interview with Warner, both Clayton & Salisbury do a 180 and now say they expect Faulk to play this year for one last hurrah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Ok. Still listening to Clayton & Salisbury. They had Warner on and asked him what he thought about Faulk for this year and Warner said his wife told him that she thought Faulk was going to play for one more year, so that's what he thinks too. So after the interview with Warner, both Clayton & Salisbury do a 180 and now say they expect Faulk to play this year for one last hurrah. I listened too and Clayton and Salisbury seemed unsure all the way through. They said they didn't think he wanted to quit just yet but may be forced too if the knees didn't hold up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 I listened too and Clayton and Salisbury seemed unsure all the way through. They said they didn't think he wanted to quit just yet but may be forced too if the knees didn't hold up. No, that's not right. At the beginning of the show, they both said they wouldn't be at all surprised if Faulk retired and gave multiple reasons why he would, as listed above. After the Warner interview, they both did a 180 and said they thought he'd give it one more year. But whatever, it's just two talking heads speculating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Faulk might spend season doing TV jobBy Bernie Miklasz ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 06/24/2006 More mixed signals on Marshall Faulk's future. Will he retire? We wouldn't think so, based on Faulk's most recent statement. On SI.com, Faulk was quoted as saying "I'm playing" by longtime confidant Mike Silver, the Sports Illustrated football writer. But that doesn't mean Faulk will suit up for the Rams in 2006. Faulk is 33 and has bad knees that aren't getting better. A source in the Rams front office tells me there's a good possibility Faulk will have another round of knee surgery in the near future. And if Faulk has the surgery, the Rams would most likely place him on injured reserve for the 2006 season - meaning that he'd sit out the year, with full pay. This would be a nice arrangement for Faulk. Faulk's agent, Rocky Arceneaux, has lined up a television job for Faulk. Faulk would be reunited with his former head coach, Dick Vermeil, as an analyst for the NFL Network. And that comes directly from Vermeil, who told Randy Karraker of KSLG (1380 AM) that he'd be working with Faulk in the NFL Network studios. So if Faulk has the surgery and goes on IR, he'd benefit in three ways: He'll receive his full salary from the Rams; he'd be free to work in television; and he'd have the option for returning to the field in 2007. After taking a year off to let the knees rest and heal, perhaps Faulk will feel like giving football another try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Where's that :fork: icon DMD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 "A source in the Rams front office tells me there's a good possibility Faulk will have another round of knee surgery in the near future. And if Faulk has the surgery, the Rams would most likely place him on injured reserve for the 2006 season - meaning that he'd sit out the year, with full pay." Nice jesture. Didn't KC give Priest a bunch of money they didn't have to too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 I owe my first fantasy superbowl win to Marshall. An awesome football player and a legendary fantasy football player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Plane Out Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Plus a chit load of receiving yards. 6875 yds receiving and 9 yds per catch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Marshall Faulk considers retirement I've also considered retirement. My wife whines about the mortgage, electricity, etc. My wife can be a real downer sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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