Fletcher Cox finishes off his NFL career with a farewell to the Eagles and family by his side

Fletcher Cox let out a sigh into the microphone in front of him.

The gust of air that emanated from his 6-foot-4, 310-pound frame was so strong that the NovaCare Complex auditorium sound system crackled in response. Cox laughed, then took another breath as he put his emotions into perspective for the audience in front of him.

“Today’s a very special day for me,” Cox said. “It’s a very special day for my family. It’s a very special day for this organization. And it’s a very, very special day for the city of Philadelphia.”

Nearly one month after the defensive tackle announced his retirement on social media following 12 seasons with the Eagles, the 33-year-old Cox made the news official in a press conference on Tuesday.

» READ MORE: Fletcher Cox leaves behind a legacy of dominance; few Eagles defensive tackles have done it better

He ended his career the same way it began. When the Eagles selected Cox in the first round, No. 12 overall, in the 2012 draft out of Mississippi State, his family made the trip from Yazoo City, Miss., to New York to support him. Twelve years and one Super Bowl ring later, more than 20 family members traveled to South Philly to attend Cox’s in-person retirement announcement.

“You never forget who helped you along the way,” Cox said. “Who’s still helping you. Who’s still got your back. Going into this whole thing, my family is a big part of what I’ve accomplished.”

Cox partially attributed his success to his mother, Melissa Cox Bright, who gave him permission to play football at Yazoo City High School. He recalled one of her common refrains as she got used to his football endeavors — “I don’t want my baby to get hurt.”

Eventually, Cox said she realized that she had to let him be a young man and make decisions for himself.

“You did just that,” Cox said. “And I thank and love you for that.”

» READ MORE: Here are some of Fletcher Cox’s best moments with the Eagles, on and off the field

Her baby didn’t get hurt often in his professional career. The six-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro defensive tackle played in 188 regular-season games out of a possible 195. A reliable fixture on the defensive front, Cox is tied for the third-highest total of regular-season games in franchise history.

Cox credited his good health throughout his career to his offseason regimen under the guidance of personal trainer Deon Hodges. The less-is-more approach Hodges stressed in the spring and summer kept him fresh during the season. Even when he was banged-up, Cox found a way to be active on game day.

» READ MORE: Fletcher Cox changed the game. The Eagles need to find some true disruptors to replace him.

Still, going into the 2023 season, Cox started to mull whether it was time for him to call it quits.

“It was kind of one of those things I had in the back in my head,” Cox said. “Whether it’d be my last season or not. Then, after the season, I took some time to myself and realized that ‘Hey, Fletch, I think it’s time for you to go live life a little bit.’”

Cox reflected on his career and his relationship with the city of Philadelphia for roughly 20 minutes while seated in front of a crowd that included his family and members of the Eagles organization. Coach Nick Sirianni, general manager Howie Roseman, and Julian Lurie, the son of Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, were on hand to support Cox.

» READ MORE: Ranking the 50 greatest Eagles players of all time

His late brother, Shaddrick, was present in spirit, Cox said. Shaddrick died of a heart attack following Cox’s third season with the Eagles. The defensive tackle has carried his older brother’s memory with him ever since.

“He’s with me,” Cox said. “I’m doing everything the way that he would want me to do it. The way that he would want me to have the entire family here. He would want to be here. So he’s always with me. Obviously, he’s tattooed on my forearm, so he’s always with me. And I know he’s appreciating that and he’s probably got his chest stuck out right now, how proud he is of his little brother. His little big brother.”

Cox’s legacy will live on among the teammates he guided. He once was in the same situation that now faces young defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter and applied lessons learned from Trent Cole, Cullen Jenkins, and Darryl Tapp as he navigated his career.

Cox still leans on Cole for guidance. Cole, who spent 10 seasons with the Eagles and retired in 2017, has encouraged Cox to take his time as he embarks upon his post-playing career. For now, Cox is focused on tending to his ranch and making a “slow transition” to life.

He’s beginning this next chapter the same way he bookended his last one. Cox is keeping the focus on his family.

“Things I’m looking forward to is going to see my nephew play football,” Cox said. “Going to see my nieces play any kind of sports. Those are things that I’m looking forward to doing. That was the biggest thing.”