Kevin Faulk largely has been out of the spotlight since he hung up his cleats following the 2011 NFL season, but that changed over the weekend.
Faulk, now the director of player development at LSU, was captured punching a man who appeared to be affiliated with Texas A&M following the Tigers’ seven-overtime loss to the Aggies on Saturday.
Considering Faulk maintained a reputation of being mild-mannered throughout his 13-year career with the New England Patriots, his actions took most by surprise. But in an interview Sunday with the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, Fauk provided some clarity to the situation.
“It’s unfortunate this situation happened,” Faulk said. “It got out of hand. But I was just behaving as my mom and dad raised me. This guy hit Coach Kragthorpe in the chest. I just stepped in. It just happened.”
Steve Kragthorpe, an offensive analyst for LSU, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011. According to him, the punch was unprovoked.
“Out of nowhere, I got nailed,” Kragthorpe said. “I didn’t go down, but I clutched over. I was like, ‘Damn, he got me right in my pacemaker.’ Then it started fluttering like he jostled it.”
The incident was an unfortunate way to cap off what was a thrilling game, but it’s tough to blame Faulk for intervening.