How Titans' Mike Vrabel, Derrick Henry are supporting Caleb Farley after dad dies in house explosion
Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel and running back Derrick Henry both commented on the tragic events at Titans cornerback Caleb Farley's North Carolina home around midnight on Tuesday morning.
Robert Farley, the cornerback's father, died in an explosion at Farley's home in Mooresville, N.C., and one person was sent to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Caleb Farley was not in the home at the time of the explosion, a Tennessee Titans official confirmed to The Tennessean.
Based on what Henry said, Farley was in Nashville as late as Monday evening.
"Actually, we were probably the last ones in the locker room last night, just hanging around," Henry said. "But just found out the news. Keeping him in our prayers, prayers for his family. I send my condolences. We all send our condolences. It's a tragic situation. I don't want to speak too much on it because I don't know all the details, but I just can't describe the way he probably feels right now. Just let him know we're praying for him. We love him, and we're all here for him if needs somebody to lean on."
At the end of the Titans' practice Tuesday, Vrabel gathered the team in prayer and shared the news.
Vrabel elected not to answer when asked whether the Titans helped Farley get back to North Carolina on Tuesday and about the details of how the team found out about the incident. Instead, he said he'd rather focus on Farley, 24, and doing what the team can do to aid the family.
"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 I think that’s the most important thing is to focus on him and not anything else," Vrabel said. "Everything else is pretty trivial."
Farley was the Titans' first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He's missed time due to injuries in both of his pro seasons, first with an ACL injury as a rookie and then again last year because of a back injury. He hasn't returned to full-speed practice since he sustained the injury last fall and remains on the Titans' physically unable to perform list with two weeks before the start of the 2023 season.
Robert Farley: Caleb Farley's father, killed in home explosion, was business owner who pushed son's NFL dream
This isn't Farley's first unfortunate experience with tragedy. The Virginia Tech product lost his mother, Robin, to breast cancer in 2018 while he was still in college.
Vrabel said he's spoken to Farley since the incident but did not expand any further on what was said.
"What’s most important is that we do everything we can to support him emotionally," Vrabel added. "As teammates, coaches, organization. It’s just shocking. But also going to focus on Caleb and his family and what we can do to support and be there for them."
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Caleb Farley house explosion kills father; Titans' Vrabel offers support
