Father of NFL Player Dies in Home Explosion

Overnight, there was a tragic incident that resulted in the death of Robert M. Farley, the father of Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley. The explosion that occurred in Caleb’s North Carolina home also left another individual injured. Fortunately, Caleb was not present at the time of the blast. Authorities discovered the body of Robert M. Farley, 61, among the debris of the Mooresville house on Tuesday morning. According to Kent Greene, the director of Iredell County Fire Services and Emergency Management, Christian Rogers, a friend of the family, managed to exit the collapsed structure and was later transferred to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for treatment of a concussion. Although Rogers is now awake and alert, he remains in the hospital awaiting discharge.

The explosion’s cause is currently under investigation. However, it is believed that gas had accumulated over an extended period and ultimately found an igniting source. Local authorities have deemed the blast accidental, and fortunately, no other homes in the area were damaged. As for Caleb Farley, the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 draft, he had been placed on injured reserve due to a back issue last November. He has played 12 games in his first two seasons and is currently listed as physically unable to perform as the Titans conclude their training camp this week. During his college years, Caleb, a 6-foot-2, 197-pound cornerback, made headlines by choosing to opt out of the 2020 season, prioritizing his safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He has already experienced the loss of his mother to cancer in 2018 and was not willing to risk another loved one’s well-being while playing at Virginia Tech. (Read more North Carolina stories.)