One day after Brandon Graham, who has been with the Philadelphia Eagles‘ roster the longest, signed a deal to return for one more year,All-Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox officially declared that he is retiring.
Cox wrote a message to fans, and the Eagles team, on X on Sunday, March 10, saying goodbye to the game at the age of 33.
When the Eagles chose Cox as the No. 12 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, he became one of the most honored defenders in the team's history and played a crucial role in the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl victory in 2017.
Cox finishes his career with 70 sacks, 519 total tackles, 88 tackles for loss, 173 quarterback hits, 16 forced fumbles, and 14 fumble recoveries. He was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2018, received Second-Team All-Pro recognition three times, and was selected for six Pro Bowls.
“From the time he was drafted as the 12th overall pick in 2012 until his last game, Fletcher Cox was a dominant force on our defensive line,” said Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie to the team’s official website. “A six-time Pro Bowler, a four-time All-Pro, and a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, Fletcher is an all-time great Eagle whose contributions made him one of the most renowned defensive tackles of a generation and built him a strong case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
How Eagles Will Replace Fletcher Cox
Finding a player to match Cox’s high-level performance consistently will be tough for the Eagles as they introduce a new defense under new coordinator Vic Fangio “He’s a rare player who changes the game and we’re not going to let a player like him leave this team,” in 2024.
Roseman said after the Eagles signed Cox for a six-year contract in 2016, one of four contracts he signed with the team. “Fletch is everything we believe in with this organization and he is the kind of player you want to build your franchise around.” Fortunately for the Eagles, Roseman has been getting ready for this day over the past two draft classes.
Philadelphia will now rely on defensive tackles
Jordan Davis Jalen Carter and , two of the team’s three first-round picks in the past two draft classes,to fill the gap left by Cox. Carter came in second in Defensive Rookie of The Year voting, behind only Houston Texans standout Will Anderson Jr., after making six sacks with 33 tackles in the 2023 season..
Meanwhile, Davis begins his third season after collecting 63 total tackles with 2.5 sacks in his first 30 games.
Already an Offseason of Turnover for the Eagles
The 2024 Eagles will appear very different from the team that left the field after losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card round.
Cox now joins All-Pro center Jason Kelce as two important players of the team who have announced their retirement within a week.
Also, troubled Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni will return in 2024 but will be working with a new coaching staff led by new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and with Fangio taking over a defense trying to avoid continuing from where last year’s unit left off as a leading cause for the team’s late-season collapse.
One day after the longest-serving Philadelphia Eagle, Brandon Graham, agreed to come back with a one-year extension, Fletcher Cox has decided to retire.
