When New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk got the news that he would not be dressing in Super Bowl XLVI, his first reaction was to go back into his room and shed a few tears.
Faulk began the day knowing there was a chance that last week's game against the New York Giants could be his last in the NFL, and suddenly he faced the reality of watching in street clothes as his teammates played for a ring.
"That morning when I got the word that I wasn't going to dress -- wow," Faulk said during a revealing interview with "NESN Daily."
"(I) cried a little bit because 75 percent of me knew that this could possibly be my last game playing -- not playing just dressing. If I dressed there could possibly be that much of a chance that I could play, so that really crushed me a whole lot."
Faulk told NESN that he wasn't ready to make a decision regarding his football future, however, the way he spoke of his career during the interview intimated that he strongly was considering calling it quits after 13 seasons with the Patriots.
"I know everyone speculated that I was going to make a decision (after the Super Bowl)," Faulk said. "It's kind of early, and I don't want to tie my emotions to what went on the Sunday that passed. What went on the whole course of the season."
Faulk said he "took a hell of a beating, mentally" during the 2011 season. Faulk began the year on the physically unable to perform list after missing most of 2010 with a torn anterior crucitate ligament. Faulk then endured multiple setbacks during the season, appearing in just seven games.
