Titans cornerback Caleb Farley's father, Robert Farley, killed in home explosion
A North Carolina home owned by Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley was destroyed overnight Monday in a suspected gas-leak explosion that killed his father.
Robert M. Farley, 61, was killed and another person, Christian Rogers, 25, a family friend was injured in the explosion, said Kent Greene, the director of Iredell County's Fire Services and Emergency Management.
Greene said Farley was discovered in a back bedroom area.
There's a lot of devastation," Greene said. "There's nothing left of this structure except a partial wall."
Greene said due to the devastation, he believed the gas had been building and finally found an ignition source.
"Just praying for Caleb," Titans running back Derrick Henry said after hearing the news. "We were probably the last ones in the locker room last night just hanging around. We just found out the news. My prayers go out to him and his family."
Green said Rogers was treated at the scene for a concussion and transported to a Charlotte hospital where he is awake and alert.
Caleb Farley, 24, was not in the home at the time of the explosion, a Titans spokesperson told The Tennessean on Tuesday.
Officials said Caleb, his aunt and uncle arrived at the home Tuesday morning.
"I think what’s important is we do everything we can to support Caleb and his family and do everything we can to be there for them, support them," Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday during a post-practice press conference. "I think that’s the most important thing ... is to focus on him and not anything else.
"Everything else is pretty trivial."
First responders arrived at the home in Mooresville, North Carolina, after a report of an explosion Monday around midnight, officials said.
“The 6,391 square foot home is a total loss,” Iredell County Emergency Management said in a news release sent to USA TODAY.
Farley, a native of Maiden, North Carolina, purchased the four-bedroom, four-bath home in 2022 for $2.05 million, according to property records.
This is not Caleb Farley's first experience with tragedy. His mother, Robin Farley, who he credits with instilling him with faith that has carried him through hard times, died from breast cancer in 2018.
A former Virginia Tech star, Farley was drafted with the No. 22 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Farley was an All-ACC first-team cornerback at Virginia Tech in 2019.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
USA Today reporter Francisco Guzman contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Caleb Farley home explosion: TN Titans CB's father Robert Farley killed
