Faulk: 'Crushed' by being inactive for SB

Patriots running back Kevin Faulk, in an interview on NESN, said that he was initially devastated when he was told by team running backs coach Ivan Fears on the morning of the game that he would be inactive for the Super Bowl.

"That morning, when I got the word that I wasn’t going to dress, wow," said Faulk. "I went in the room, cried a little bit, because 75 percent of me knew that this could be my last game playing, not playing, just dressing. If I dress there could possibly be that chance that I could play. So that really crushed me a whole lot."

That said, Faulk was able to reflect on the fact that longtime teammate Troy Brown was inactive for what proved to be his final game in Super Bowl XLII, and felt that he could follow in Brown's footsteps. By the time the game arrived, Faulk said that he was invested in his team's fortunes rather than dwelling on his own.

"Once the game started, it wasn't about me anymore. It was about the guys that was playing. It was about trying to get the guys ready to play, knowing how important it was to them. ... It wasn't about me at that time, because I couldn't do nothing about me. But I could try to help another guy that was playing the game," said Faulk. "My agent, my cousin, my brother, a friend of mine went to the game. They said that they were so shocked the first half that they couldn't stand up or cheer for the game, but what made them cheer was seeing me on the sideline cheering for my team, cheering for my teammates."

Faulk said that he is still deciding whether or not to retire. He is trying to separate himself from the emotional end of the season before making a definitive pronouncement about his future. That said, Faulk is mindful that his playing career may be over.

"(I took) my exit physical after the game and the trainers give me a big hug and that’s when I knew, like 'Wow, that might be it.' If they know, you definitely know. Going through that evening after the game and worrying about the loss and being like, wow, guys have another opportunity to come back next year and do it again. Mine is very slim, and it’s not by my choice this time," said Faulk. "Right now and with the emotions that are going on and with the game that just happened last week, I know everyone was speculating that I was going to make a decision, probably today or what not; it’s kind of early. I don’t want to tie my emotions into exactly what went on Sunday that passed, what went on the course of the season, I just think it’s something that I have to sit down and talk with my family and my agent, teammates, former teammates that I’ve talked to, people that I really trust, for me to base my decision off of."

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