Marshall Faulk, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, said he was happy to see the lockout end, if only so he could return to his job as an analyst on the NFL Network and avoid losing another Madden NFL video game to his son.
“My son is a teenager now,” said Faulk, who is featured on the cover of the game’s Hall of Fame Edition. “And he’s playing high school football. Before, he would never stand a chance. Not anymore. I can’t beat him. And he even knows how to talk football now — Cover 1, Cover 2 — from playing Madden.”
In a 12-year career with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams, Faulk gained more than 12,000 yards rushing and more than 6,000 yards receiving, the only N.F.L. player to do both.
Faulk, who last played in 2005, spends much of his time working with the Marshall Faulk Foundation, which helps underprivileged youth. He recently made a promotional appearance in Manhattan.
Q. What players in the Hall of Fame were an inspiration for you?
A.
Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett. Before they played, it was all about the Franco Harrises and Jim Browns. The league was full of backs that were big. John Riggins and Larry Csonka. Payton and Dorsett paved the way for guys like me. They were my size and carried the load as an every-down back.
Q. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
A. How long I played. The durability I had at the running back position. It’s a contact sport. You have contact just about on every play. And winning the Super Bowl. That’s what you play for. That’s what it’s all about. Those are the two things I’m most proud of.
Q. Who gave you the most trouble on defense?
A. Not a player, but any time I played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they gave me trouble. It was because of how sound and dedicated they were to playing team defense. Those Buc teams in the late ’90s and early 2000s had a defense that was obscene.
Q. Do you think the Rams will make the playoffs?
A. I think they can, when you consider the addition of Josh McDaniels [offensive coordinator] on offense, along with what Steve Spagnuola brings to the defense. Steve’s defense helped the Giants win the Super Bowl. I look for Sam [Bradford] to have a great year. I think the challenge is for McDaniels, who won’t have the time to implement his whole system to Sam. But he took the time to learn the Rams system so he can be up to speed and not have Sam have a huge learning curve for the things that he wants him to do.
Q. What players do you enjoy watching?
A. I’m from New Orleans, I grew up a Saints fan and I like to watch Drew Brees. I enjoy watching how much of a leader he is.
I love watching Peyton Manning because of how hard he studies, his dedication to the game. And we don’t have many players who are coaches on the field like Manning. He puts a lot of pressure on the opposing defense and defensive coordinator.
Q. What player reminds you of yourself?
A. I don’t know. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of full-time guys. Teams don’t have one back to do what I did anymore. I don’t see what I did in the N.F.L. It’s running back by committee.
Q. Do you have a sleeper team this year?
A. I like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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