Tennessee Titans player Caleb Farley's father dies in massive home explosion

Caleb Farley was spotted on scene, speaking to authorities, after the blast.

August 22, 2023, 4:12 PM

The father of Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley was killed in a massive explosion early Tuesday at a multimillion-dollar home owned by the NFL star.

Robert Farley, 61, was killed and another person suffered non-life-threatening injuries when the Mooresville, North Carolina, home was leveled, according to Iredell County Emergency Management Director Kent Greene.

It is being investigated as a gas leak, according to Greene.

"For as large as a house that was, that gas was there for a while and finally found its way to an ignition source and caused the explosion," said Greene.

PHOTO: A home owned by Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley exploded in Mooresville, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023.
A home owned by Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley exploded in Mooresville, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023.
WSOC

Caleb Farley was seen speaking to authorities at the scene after the explosion. He was not home at the time of the blast, according to Greene, who described him as being "distraught."

Christian Rogers, 25, a family friend who was also at the home, was taken to a hospital, but was conscious and awake, authorities said.

"It is incredibly fortunate for that young man that he was able to walk away from that structure," Greene said.

The home, valued at just over $2 million, according to property records, was completely leveled in the explosion.

An investigation into what caused the explosion is still ongoing, authorities said.

Authorities responded to the home explosion just after midnight and located Rogers walking out of the debris, Greene said. Robert Farley's body was located in the rubble at about 4:30 a.m.

PHOTO: A home owned by Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley exploded in Mooresville, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023.
A home owned by Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley exploded in Mooresville, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023.
WSOC

Caleb Farley, 24, was a first-round pick by the Titans out of Virginia Tech in 2021, though he's played sparingly due to injuries. He played in just three games as a rookie and then nine games last season.

He grew up in Maiden, North Carolina, about 25 miles east of Mooresville, and was a star quarterback at Maiden High School.

Caleb Farley's mother, Robin, died of breast cancer in January 2018.

ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.