December 21, 2024

Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley’s father is dead and another person was injured when the NFL player’s home in North Carolina exploded overnight, leaving the multi-million dollar lakeside house reduced to rubble.

Kent Greene, the director of the Iredell County Emergency Management, tells PEOPLE that Farley, 24, was not at the suburban Mooresville, North Carolina home when the explosion occurred.

Farley’s father, Robert Farley, died in the explosion, Greene confirmed. He was 61.

The Titans cornerback was at the home with other family members early Tuesday morning speaking with authorities, according to Reuters, who first reported the news.

Greene said in a press release that the home had collapsed due to the explosion. Aerial footage taken by the local Queen City News showed the lakeside house completely decimated.

The Iredell County Emergency Management director also said another man was injured during the explosion and was found exiting the home when initial emergency crews arrived.

The other man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital, Greene said.
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Caleb Farley #3 of the Tennessee Titans warms up before a NFL Preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium on August 28, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Caleb Farley. WESLEY HITT/GETTY
The home was reportedly worth $2 million and was located next to Lake Norman, according to Queen City News. A cause for the explosion has yet to be identified by local authorities or reported.

Authorities were expected to provide a brief update on the incident Tuesday afternoon.

“I can’t believe it,” neighbor Clay Wild told the outlet, noting that he heard “a loud boom” roughly five minutes before midnight Monday night. Other neighbors told Queen City News there was a smell of gas in the area.

Farley was a first-round draft pick for the Titans in 2021. He previously played at Virginia Tech in college and grew up in nearby Maiden, roughly 25 miles west across the lake.

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Caleb Farley #3 of the Tennessee Titans warms up before an NFL preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium on August 28, 2021 in Nashville,
Caleb Farley. WESLEY HITT/GETTY
Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters after Tuesday’s practice that the team was going to do “everything we can to support Caleb and his family,” according to a video shared by longtime Titans reporter Jim Wyatt.

“I’m just praying for Caleb,” Titans running back Derrick Henry told reporters Tuesday afternoon, according to video of a post-practice interview shared by reporter Paul Kuharsky. “I just found out the news. I’m keeping him in our prayers. I’m praying for his family. I’m sending my condolences, we all send our condolences. It’s a tragic situation.”

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Titans safety Kevin Byard told reporters he texted Farley this morning after he heard the news, according to video of a post-practice interview shared by reporter Kayla Anderson.

“It’s just very tragic,” Byard said. “As a team and as a brother, all we can do and all I can do is try to be there for him. It’s going to be tough. It’s an unimaginable tragedy.”

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