Ron Cox (American football)

Ron Cox
No. 54
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1968-03-29) March 29, 1968 (age 56)
Fresno, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:Washington Union
(Easton, California)
College:Fresno St.
NFL draft:1990 / round: 2 / pick: 33
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:272
Sacks:8
Forced fumbles:3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Ronald Eugene Cox (born February 2, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He started as middle linebacker for the champion Packers in Super Bowl XXXI as they beat the New England Patriots. In 2001, Cox was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.[1]

College career

As a senior, Cox was a finalist for the 1989 Butkus Award, which was won by Percy Snow.[2] Cox had 28 sacks that senior season.[3] He was also an All-American and the Big West Conference Defensive MVP.[4]

Professional career

Chicago Bears

Cox was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1990 NFL draft.[5] His rookie year, 1990, was his best year in terms of sacks, with three.[6] After a dip in productivity in 1991, Cox saw a career year in 1992, with 56 tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery, and three games started. Recording his first interception in 1995,[7] Cox left in free agency to go to the Green Bay Packers. He returned to the team in 1997 but retired to spend time with his family.

Green Bay Packers

In the 1996 offseason, the Green Bay Packers signed Cox to a three-year contract worth $3.9 million.[8] He was pushed into the starting lineup for Super Bowl XXXI after an injury to George Koonce.[9]

Coaching career

Cox serves as a defensive coach for Division III Lake Forest College.[9] He has turned down offers to be on the coaching staff from Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers and Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings.[10]

Personal life

Cox graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. After retiring, he worked in the building industry. He and his wife Michelle have three kids, Kelsey, Caitlin, and Ron Jr., and they live in Lake Forest, Illinois.

References

  1. ^ "Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home". Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  2. ^ "Butkus Award To Michigan St.'s Snow". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  3. ^ NORWOOD, ROBYN (October 19, 1989). "Only a Few Can Keep Him in Line : Blitz King: Rushing the quarterback is a specialty of Fresno State linebacker Ron Cox, who already has 14 sacks this season". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  4. ^ "Bulldogs Welcome Back 1989 Football Team". Archived from the original on January 19, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  5. ^ "1990 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "Ron Cox". NFL.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  7. ^ "Ron Cox Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  8. ^ "Bears Won't Match Packers' Offer to Ron Cox". Highbeam.com. April 5, 1996. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Packers.com | News | Stories | July 24, 2006: Cox Would Like To Make Lambeau Field Return A Permanent One". Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  10. ^ "Former Bears Linebacker Ron Cox Visits Football Camp at Elmhurst College". Elmhurst, IL Patch. July 20, 2011. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.