The New England Patriots are gearing up for a massive Week 15 contest against the Buffalo Bills, but in the lead-up to this game, the team was dealt some tragic news involving one of their former players, Kevin Faulk, which prompted head coach Mike Vrabel to send him a heartfelt message.
Faulk spent his entire 13-year playing career in the NFL with the Patriots, helping the team win the first three Super Bowls of its historic dynasty. Faulk helped popularize the pass-catching running back role that has become a staple of modern NFL offenses.
On Saturday, Faulk’s daughter, Tanasha, died unexpectedly at the age of 30. In the wake of the crushing news, Vrabel sent his condolences to Faulk and the rest of his family, offering his support should they need it moving forward.
“Just want to send anything we can, well wishes, to Kevin and Latisha Faulk,” Vrabel said at the beginning of his press conference on Wednesday. “Obviously, we’re all heartbroken. Kevin was a teammate, he is a huge part of this legacy here of this football team.
There’s no words to describe what they’re going through, but just wanted to make sure that everybody knows that we care deeply about Kevin and his family, and our thoughts and our prayers are with them.”
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The cause of Tanasha’s death was not revealed, but no foul play is suspected. This is the latest crushing blow for Faulk and his family, as two of his other children, Kevione and Kevin Jr., are also deceased.
Given all that Faulk did for New England during his time with the team, it’s not much of a surprise to see the team rally around him after this tragic loss. In the meantime, Vrabel will have to find a way to keep his team focused on its upcoming matchup with the Bills.
Featured image via David Butler II/Imagn Images
