Former Mississippi State Football Star Fletcher Cox Retires From NFL

Sunday, former Mississippi State football defensive lineman Fletcher Cox announced his retirement from the NFL. The Bulldog great was drafted in the 1st Round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, and he spent his entire 12-year career in Philadelphia, winning Super Bowl LII in 2018.

Fletcher Cox was dominant for Mississippi State football

Fletcher Cox was an all-time great defensive lineman for Mississippi State football. The Yazoo City, MS native signed with the Bulldogs as a 4-star prospect in 2009. He burst onto the scene in his sophomore season in 2010 with 29 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and two blocked kicks.

In 2011, Fletcher Cox put together an incredible year. The defensive tackle had 52 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, one forced fumble, and two blocked kicks. He earned 1st Team All-SEC and 1st Team All-American honors. Following the 2011 season, he declared for the NFL Draft.

Fletcher Cox is a Philadelphia Eagles Legend

Fletcher Cox was drafted 12th overall in the 1st Round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He spent his entire 12-year career in Philly and put together one of the greatest careers in Eagle history.

Cox racked up 519 tackles, 70 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns throughout his career. He had a career-high 10.5 sacks in 2018. In 2016, following what had then been the best year of his career, he reset the market for defensive line contracts with a 6-year, $103 million extension the included $63 million in guarantees, the most guaranteed money ever for a non-QB.

Fletcher Cox earned 1st Team All-Pro honors in 2018 and was named 2nd Team All-Pro in 2014, 2015, and 2017. He went to six-straight Pro Bowls from 2015-2020 and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. In 2018, he won Super Bowl LII, helping the Eagles win their first ever Super Bowl.

Fletcher Cox should make the NFL Hall of Fame

After such a remarkable career, there's no doubt that Fletcher Cox is a future NFL Hall of Famer. He is the greatest defensive tackle in Philadelphia Eagles history, and he was one of the absolute best at the position over a decade that featured several elite players. He'll have to wait at least five years to be eligible for selection, but he's made a strong case for the NFL Hall of Fame.

Fletcher Cox is an all-time great player both in the NFL and for Mississippi State football. He began a run of dominant Mississippi State defensive lineman in the NFL, paving the way for players like Chris Jones, Jeffrey Simmons, Preston Smith, and Montez Sweat. Mississippi State does not become "D-Line U" without Fletcher Cox. Here's to a happy retirement.