NFL player Caleb Farley remembers father as ‘legend’ as photos show devastation after deadly house explosion

Fire investigators are still determining the cause of the explosion

After a house explosion killed his father, NFL cornerback Caleb Farley remembered the man as a "legend."

Robert Farley, 61, died on Tuesday when an explosion destroyed his $3m home in North Carolina.

"Daddy, you a legend," the younger Farley said in a series of videos posted to his Instagram after the explosion. "I love you."

Photos from the scene show the house reduced to little more than splinters and rubble, with only a pair of windows seemingly escaping the destruction.

The NFL player was photographed spending time at the wreckage, quietly examining the site while hiding his face beneath a purple hoodie jacket.

Caleb Farley, 24, was not home at the time of the explosion, according to the New York Post.

The NFL player said he received a call around midnight from a neighbor telling him that his father's house had exploded, according to WCNC.

"I got a call around midnight last night in Nashville from a neighbor explaining the situation," the younger Farley said on Tuesday. "And it didn't sound good from the start."

The only other person injured in the blast was Christian Rogers, a friend of the Farley family.

Kent Greene, the director of Irdell County Fire Services and Emergency Management said that Mr Rogers, 25, was seen exiting the wreckage of the "completely destroyed" home when first responders arrived.

He reportedly suffered a concussion and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

“It is incredibly fortunate for that young man that he was able to walk away from that structure,” Mr Greene told the Iredell Free News.

Damage and debris from a house explosion are seen in Mooresville, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023 (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Fire investigators are still working to determine what caused the explosion, which levelled the nearly 6,400 square-foot home, but noted they are specifically looking at the structure's natural gas lines.

Neighbors and friends met on Tuesday night to hold a group prayer and remember the elder Farley.

The younger Farley suffered the loss early in his NFL career. He was a first-round draft pick in 2021, and has played 12 games with the Titans since then.

The team's head coach, Mike Vrabel, offered his condolences and support for the younger Farley during a press conference.

Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley sits outside of the rubble of his home after an explosion in Mooresville, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (@TheCharlotteObserver)

“What’s most important is we do everything we can to support him emotionally,” Vrabel said. As teammates, coaches, organization. It’s just shocking. Also got to focus on Caleb and his family and what we can do to support them and be there for him," he said.

Robin Farley, the younger Farley's mother, died at age 53 five years ago following a battle with breast cancer.

Caleb Farley said in an interview with WCNC that the values his parents instilled in him have been his support as he processes their loss.

"I was really emotional earlier," he said. "I've kind of leveled off a little bit. It's just been a hectic roller coaster of a ride. Not only today, just for me the last five years, so I've been leaning on my faith and staying with the principles my mother and my father raised me with and that's what's been keeping me calm."