12-year veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox announced his retirement on Instagram. Cox, a former first-round pick and six-time Pro Bowl selection, spent the entirety of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fletcher Cox, one of the #Eagles all-time greats, announced his is retiring. pic.twitter.com/3P5o4ti1tX
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2024
Fletcher Cox Announces Retirement
Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Fletcher Cox had yet another strong season while playing on a one-year contract. Starting and appearing in 15 games, the defensive lineman finished the season with five sacks, 33 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, and 17 quarterback hits. The Eagles themselves got off to a hot start before cooling off considerably and losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs.
Fletcher Cox originally entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Selected by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Mississippi State product finished his inaugural campaign with 5.5 sacks, 39 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, and 10 quarterback hits. He spent the next two years as Philadelphia’s starting interior lineman, putting up good but not great numbers. However, he finally reached his potential in the 2015 season.
During his fourth year in the NFL, Fletcher Cox exploded with an impressive 9.5 sacks, 71 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, and 20 quarterback hits. This strong showing earned him his first Pro Bowl nomination of his career, but it wouldn’t be his last. Cox established himself as one of the elite defensive tackles in the game, making it to the Pro Bowl in six consecutive seasons.
His best season likely came in 2018 when he earned First-Team All-Pro honors. Starting in all 16 games, the former first-round pick finished the season with 10.5 sacks, 46 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, and 34 quarterback hits. The Eagles once again went on a deep playoff run but were unable to win consecutive Super Bowl titles.
Since signing his rookie contract, Fletcher Cox has appeared in 188 games while making 182 starts. While on the field, the Mississippi State product has recorded 70 sacks, 519 tackles, 88 tackles-for-loss, and 173 quarterback hits.
Main Photo: Eric Hartline – USA Today Sports
