Bryan Cox
Encyclopedia
Bryan Keith Cox is a former American football
linebacker
who played twelve seasons in the NFL
from 1991 through 2002. He was a member of the New England Patriots
club that won Super Bowl XXXVI
. He is currently the pass rush coach for the Miami Dolphins
.
Cox generated controversy while a Miami Dolphin in 1993, when he waved the middle finger
s with both hands at fans prior to a road game against the Buffalo Bills
.
.
Cox attended Western Illinois University
and was a Mass Communications Major and a letterman in football. In football, he was a four-year letterman and a two-year starter. As a senior, he was named as a First Team All-America selection by the Football Gazzette and was a First Team All-Conference selection. As a junior, he was named the Western Illinois University M.V.P. As a sophomore, Cox played in every game, and finished his sophomore season with 54 tackles, four forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, two interceptions and three blocked kicks. As a freshman, Cox was a reserve nickel-back and finished the season with 30 tackles.
; Cox hit receiver Jerome Pathon
in the first quarter, a hit that briefly knocked Pathon out.
. He was an assistant defensive line coach for the New York Jets
for three seasons (2006–08) under Eric Mangini
. After Mangini was fired and became the coach of the Cleveland Browns
in January 2009, he brought Cox with him, where Cox was the defensive line coach.
On February 21, 2011, Cox was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their pass rush coach.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played twelve seasons in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1991 through 2002. He was a member of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
club that won Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
. He is currently the pass rush coach for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Cox generated controversy while a Miami Dolphin in 1993, when he waved the middle finger
Middle finger
The middle finger or long finger is the third digit of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is usually the longest finger...
s with both hands at fans prior to a road game against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
High school and college
Cox was a member of the East St. Louis High School Flyers, where he was coached by Bob ShannonBob Shannon
Robert Lavern Shannon is a former high school football coach best known for coaching the East St. Louis Flyers to six Illinois and two national championship victories. Shannon left East St. Louis in the mid-90s after he became fed up with fiscal mismanagement in the school district...
.
Cox attended Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
and was a Mass Communications Major and a letterman in football. In football, he was a four-year letterman and a two-year starter. As a senior, he was named as a First Team All-America selection by the Football Gazzette and was a First Team All-Conference selection. As a junior, he was named the Western Illinois University M.V.P. As a sophomore, Cox played in every game, and finished his sophomore season with 54 tackles, four forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, two interceptions and three blocked kicks. As a freshman, Cox was a reserve nickel-back and finished the season with 30 tackles.
National Football League
Cox was drafted by the Dolphins in the 5th round of the 1991 NFL Draft, chosen 113th overall. In his career encompassing 165 games he recorded 764 tackles, recorded 51.5 quarterback sacks, caught four interceptions, and forced 22 fumbles. Among his most famous plays was a 27-yard interception-return touchdown against the Patriots in September 1999 while playing with the Jets; another famous play came with the Patriots in September 2001 in a game against the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
; Cox hit receiver Jerome Pathon
Jerome Pathon
Jerome Pathon is an American football coach and former wide receiver who played eight seasons in the National Football League...
in the first quarter, a hit that briefly knocked Pathon out.
Post-playing career
From 2004-2005 he worked as an analyst for TVG NetworkTVG Network
TVG Network is an American specialty channel dedicated to horse racing. The company broadcasts from Los Angeles, California and is available in the United States on Dish Network and DirecTV as well as select cable companies...
. He was an assistant defensive line coach for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for three seasons (2006–08) under Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
. After Mangini was fired and became the coach of the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in January 2009, he brought Cox with him, where Cox was the defensive line coach.
On February 21, 2011, Cox was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their pass rush coach.