No. 54 | |||||||
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Position: | Linebacker | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Fresno, California, U.S. | March 29, 1968||||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Washington Union (Easton, California) | ||||||
College: | Fresno State | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1990 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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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]
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]
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.
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]
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]
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.
Richard Marvin Butkus was an American football linebacker, sports commentator, and actor. He played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons, named a first-team All-Pro five times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Butkus was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history.
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.
Raymond Ernest Nitschke was an American professional football player who spent his entire 15-year career as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, he was the anchor of the defense for head coach Vince Lombardi in the 1960s, leading the Packers to five NFL championships and victories in the first two Super Bowls.
Genos Derwin "D. J." Williams, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft in the National Football League (NFL). He also played two seasons for the Chicago Bears.
Patrick L. Willis is an American former professional football player who spent his entire eight-year Hall of Fame career as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels, earning consensus All-American honors in 2006.
Trev Kendall Alberts is an American sports administrator and former football linebacker who is the athletic director at Texas A&M University. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, winning the Dick Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Trophy as a senior. Alberts was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Matthew Wilhelm is a former American college and professional football player and a current radio/TV football analyst.
Lee Roy Caffey was an American professional football player who was an outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers. Caffey is one of the top 100 Green Bay Packers of All-Time (#57). Caffey and teammates, Ray Nitchke and Dave Robinson, were named one of the top 10 best linebacking trios in the history of the NFL by ESPN. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies and is one of Texas A&M’s top 10 best players in the NFL.
Lucas J. Butkus is an American football coach and former center who is the offensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and the Oregon Ducks.
Clifton Alexander Hawkins was an American football player who played professionally as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and Atlanta Falcons. He excelled as a special teams player and was a co-captain with the Colts, the first special teams player with this distinction.
Desmond Lamont Bishop is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of California, Berkeley, and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and later won Super Bowl XLV with the team over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bishop also played for the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers.
William Clay Matthews III, primarily known as just Clay Matthews, is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). The six-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro played primarily with the Green Bay Packers. He is the all-time official sack leader for the Green Bay Packers.
J. R. Boone was an American football player and coach. He played professionally as an end and halfback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Green Bay Packers. Boone was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 22nd round of the 1948 NFL Draft. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Fresno from 1973 to 1975, compiling a record of 10–24.
Danny Eugene Trevathan is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky, where in 2010, he was named an All-American by College Football News and was a first-team all-SEC selection.
Jacob William Ryan is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Michigan. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft.
Dave Hoffmann is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football with the Washington Huskies, earning All-American honors in 1992. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 1993 NFL Draft and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After his football career, he became a member of the United States Secret Service, protecting presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush as well as vice presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney.
Khalil Delshon Mack is an American football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Buffalo and was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
Roquan Daevon Smith is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia. Smith became the first Georgia Bulldog to win the Butkus Award.
Trevis Gipson is an American football linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tulsa, and selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.