Philadelphia Eagles: 30 greatest players in franchise history
By John Buhler
(2012-present). Fletcher Cox. 8. player. 54. . DT
The biggest reason the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl this past season has to do with elite line play on both sides of the ball. While center Jason Kelce anchors the front-five on the offensive side of the ball, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is an absolute monster of a wrecking ball for the Eagles on the defensive side of the ball. He has been an incredible watch for the Eagles the last six seasons.
After starring in his native Mississippi for Dan Mullen’s Mississippi State Bulldogs, Cox would be the No. 12 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft after an All-American season for Hail State. While his on-field talent was obvious, Cox did originally land with the Eagles during a weird period for the franchise. His rookie year was Andy Reid’s final year in Philadelphia. The three-year experiment that was the Chip Kelly era came and went.
However, Cox started to breakout in the latter part of Kelly’s tenure coaching the team. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made his first trip to the Pro Bowl in 2015. Cox has since made two more Pro Bowl teams and two more All-Pro second teams. Still on the good side of 30, let’s just say Cox is just getting started. His prime should continue for a few more years.
Truth be told, the only real downside to Cox’s NFL career so far is that is coincides with two of the greatest interior linemen in NFL history in J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. All three could very well end up in Canton some day. Through six NFL seasons, Cox has made 204 tackles, assisted on 80 more, recorded 34.0 quarterback sacks, had 12 pass deflections, recovered nine fumbles, forced seven more and found pay dirt twice as a defensive player.