Age: 24
2nd
season in pro football & with Dolphins
College: Western
Illinois
Height: 6’3” Weight: 235
Prelude:
Cox had an
outstanding college career, accounting for 323 tackles, 8 interceptions, 9
forced fumbles, and three sacks, and his 10 blocked kicks set a school record.
He was chosen by the Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft and
moved into the starting lineup at right outside linebacker for 13 games. Cox
was credited with 61 tackles and two sacks while displaying an ability to make
big plays.
1992 Season Summary
Appeared in all
16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Sacks – 14
[9]
Most sacks,
game – 2 on five occasions
Interceptions
– 1
Int. return
yards – 0
Int. TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 1
Forced
fumbles – 5
Tackles – 127
Postseason: 2 G
Sacks – 0
Interceptions
– 1
Int. return
yards – 7
TDs – 0
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Sporting News
1st
team All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Dolphins went
11-5 to finish first in the AFC East. Won AFC Divisional playoff over San Diego
Chargers (31-0). Lost AFC Championship to Buffalo Bills (29-10).
Aftermath:
Cox again led
the Dolphins in tackles with 122 in 1993. A highly instinctive playmaker, he
also was emotionally volatile and subject to controversy. Shifted to middle
linebacker, he received Pro Bowl honors after the 1994 and ’95 seasons and moved
on to the Chicago Bears as a free agent in 1996. Cox struggled in a new
defensive scheme and was limited to nine games by back and thumb injuries.
Following another disappointing year in ’97, he was let go by the Bears and
signed on with the New York Jets for 1998, where he played well at outside
linebacker and was a team leader. He spent two more seasons with the Jets
before moving on to the Patriots in 2001, missing time with a broken leg, and
New Orleans in 2002, his last season. Overall, Cox played for 12 seasons,
recorded 51.5 sacks, four interceptions, and 14 fumble recoveries. He was a
consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, received first- or second-team
All-AFC honors after two other seasons, and was chosen to three Pro Bowls.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
