Caleb Farley rebuilding life on and off field with Panthers

HICKORY, N.C. -- Bagged groceries were stacked at the front door of the modest brick home in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains about an hour northwest of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Inside, rooms were in a chaotic state with unpacked boxes, pictures and mirrors waiting to be hung, and cartons of flooring waiting to replace carpet that hadn't been ripped out.

It's far from the glamor world one would envision for the home of an NFL player used to fancy cars and clothes, three years removed from being the No. 22 draft pick by the Tennessee Titans, which came with a $13.945 million fully guaranteed salary.

But it is here, the family home where Caleb Farley grew up -- and became a local phenom as an all-state quarterback at nearby Maiden High -- that he has chosen to rebuild his life and his NFL career as a cornerback with the Carolina Panthers.

It is here in suburban Hickory that the 26-year-old is picking up the pieces of his life -- shattered by the loss of his mother to breast cancer in 2018 and his father five years later to a gas-leak explosion an hour away in the dream house he paid for with his first NFL contract.

It is here -- as a member of Carolina's practice squad, waiting to be elevated to the 53-man roster every week, still trying to recapture the speed that used to separate him from other corners -- where Farley is focused on faith and rebuilding a football career that was halted by a season-ending ACL injury as a rookie and 2022 back surgery that sidelined him through 2023.

"It just feels nice to be back," he said. "I'm comfortable here.''

FARLEY MOVED HOME in early October after the Panthers (3-7) signed him to the practice squad the day after a workout. He was given No. 31, the number his father wore in high school.

"It's like a pleasant delight in your heart," Farley said of the gesture by Carolina, "and I know my uncles and my cousins enjoyed being able to see me get 31."

The Panthers saw enough in his workout to believe he was worth adding to the practice squad.

"You could see why he was drafted in the first round, the athleticism that he showed, the way he can flip his hips, change directions, the way he transitions, the way he can run,'' general manager Dan Morgan said of Farley's workout. "He was really impressive.

"He's had a lot of bad luck. I hope he's happy.''

Farley had other workouts scheduled. He worked out for the New England Patriots on Sept. 3 and was told he needed to be in better shape.

He was scheduled to fly to Kansas City on Sept. 30, and if that didn't work out, he had a visit with theFalconsin Atlanta, followed by the Panthers.

Farley told his agent to cancel everything but Carolina.

"I just drove up there and they signed me,'' Farley said. "It was a blessing.''

Farley has been elevated to the 53-man roster the past three games and had a season-high 23 snaps (13 at corner, 10 on special teams) in Sunday's 20-17 overtime victory against the New York Giants in Munich, Germany.

The Panthers, like many other teams ahead of the 2021 draft, were trying to decide between Farley, Jaycee Horn and Pat Surtain II as the best cornerbacks.

The Panthers selected Horn with the eighth pick. Surtain went to the Denver Broncos at No. 9. Farley, who went to Virginia Tech as a wide receiver before switching to cornerback as a redshirt freshman, fell to the Titans at No. 22.

"All three of those guys were really, really good prospects,'' said Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who was with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.

"So that's the type of talent that this kid has. Obviously, things haven't gone his way, especially from an injury standpoint. But it's never too late.''

OF ALL THE things that have impacted Farley's life, Aug. 22, 2023, was the toughest.

His father, Robert M. Farley, had moved into the Mooresville home about 30 miles north of Charlotte because he struggled living in Hickory without his wife.

Then the unthinkable.

According to the director of Iredell County Fire Services, gas apparently leaked into the house over a long period of time before finding an ignition source. The explosion disintegrated the home, killing the 61-year-old, who Caleb described in an Instagram post: "Daddy you a legend I love you 4L.''

Farley now wears a medallion with a photograph of his parents taken at senior night around his neck.

It reminds him of his parents every day, just as sleeping in his parent's room at home does.

"I just accept that they're in a better place than I am, and they're happy,'' Farley said.

FIFTEEN MILES AWAY in Newton, North Carolina, Robert's brother Elijah Farley, otherwise known as Uncle Chunk, cuts hair at Superior Barber Styling Center. It's a business he began with Caleb's dad.

It's also a shrine to Caleb, highlighted by a giant picture of Caleb, Robert, Elijah and Caleb's older brother Joshua Farley in front of the Nashville, Tennessee, skyline.

"Little did we know this would be the last time that me and my brother were together in Tennessee,'' Elijah said.

Elijah was among a large group of family members and friends in Charlotte three weeks ago to cheer on Caleb in his first home game with the Panthers. Caleb is an inspiration to them now, just as he was in high school when his speed helped him gain 2,574 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior.

"I feel like God allowed him to be right where he needs to be,'' Elijah said.

Caleb is back around the people who kept him grounded before he got caught up in the money, limelight and, sometimes, party lifestyle of the NFL.

"When you spent millions of dollars on clothes and shoes and jewelry, and you watch it get blown up and lost, it can put things in perspective,'' said Caleb, standing by the pool his parents built when he was 5. "Even if I'm well off financially, it would be too hard for me to go and try to build a collection back up.

"I'm not saying nothing against the flashy lifestyle, because I like those things. I'm just more content with the way things are now.''

HARDWOOD FLOORS HAVE replaced most of the carpet in Farley's home. What work he can't do himself, he's hired locals to do it. It's a slow process.

Rebuilding his career will take time, as well. It starts with getting his speed back.

Farley was clocked at 24 mph in 2019 in a game against Virginia Tech, which was one mile per hour faster than Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill's top in-game speed at the time. Farley posted a 4.28 40-yard dash at his 2021 pro day.

"He was fast as hell,'' Horn recalled. "He's still fast. He might be as fast as he was.''

Farley laughed, pointing to a foot that he said "stopped working'' as the result of a disc injury suffered prior to the draft.

"I can do calf raises with the other foot,'' he said, demonstrating. "It's got some pop to it. But over here, I've got to really grind it out. It's like a little delay.

"I used to be so confident in myself because of my speed. It set me apart. After the injury, I felt naked. It's been a crazy journey back.''

But it's this journey that has inspired Farley's teammates, past and present.

"I just appreciate the competitor he is and how he just keeps on pushing,'' Horn said.

Titans safety Amani Hooker, who played three years with Farley, called the comeback amazing.

"A lot of people in that position probably would've folded or had some type of lapses,'' he said. "He always stayed true to his faith and true to who he was, and what he could do on the field.''

FARLEY STOOD IN the entrance of a small room near the front door of the house.

"This is going to be a library with shelves all the way up there with a ladder,'' he said. "There will be a little sitting area here. It's going to turn out good.''

Farley believes his career will too. He considers himself blessed. He's not letting the roadblocks of life deter him.

"I definitely think I can make plays in this league,'' Farley said. "I don't have the top-end speed that I used to have, but I'm still fast.''

There is confidence in his voice. He's getting as comfortable on the football field as he is in his childhood home.

"I love football,'' Farley said. "The football gives you great emotions, gives you great adrenaline. Flying around your teammates, with your brothers, it creates great emotions inside that I love feeling.

"So I plan to feel them as long as I can. What better place to do it than from home.''

ESPN Titans reporter Turron Davenport contributed to this story.