There was a piece of good news versus bad news situation that came across the newsdesk this week for the New York Jets.
On one hand, a former player and coach making a return to the NFL after a five-year absence is spectacular news. On the flip side where he landed likely ruffled a few feathers among the fanbase.
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Back in the Big Leagues
On Wednesday, February 16 the New York Giants announced that they had hired Bryan Cox as the new assistant defensive line coach.
Brian Daboll was recently hired as the new head coach of Big Blue and has been putting together his staff ahead of the 2022 season.
For Cox, this is an NFL comeback after five years away from the game. He was most recently with the Atlanta Falcons back in 2016 as their defensive line coach.
That last year was special as the Dirty Birds won the NFC Championship game and advanced to the Super Bowl where they lost to the New England Patriots 34-28 in overtime.
Since departing from Atlanta, Cox has taken some time away to spend with his family. Cox’s son, Bryan Cox Jr, has spent the last five years in the NFL and is heading towards his sixth professional season. Cox Jr is currently with the Buffalo Bills where he has resided for the last two years.
A Long History With Gang Green
Cox originally entered the league as the No. 113 overall pick in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins.
After his somewhat humble entry into the league, Cox quickly developed a resume as one of the most productive linebackers in football.
In his 12 years in the league, he played with five different organizations earning three Pro Bowl nominations and a Super Bowl championship.
All in all the talented linebacker put up some ridiculous stats during his career:
- 51.5 sacks
- 939 combined tackles
- 22 forced fumbles
Cox spent three of those seasons with the Jets from 1998-00 and ended up returning to the green and white after his playing career came to an end.
After walking away from the game in 2002, Cox took a couple of years off before jumping into coaching with the Jets from 2006-08 as an assistant on Eric Mangini’s staff.
When Mangini was later fired, Cox ended up following him to Cleveland for two seasons. After that Cox spent time with the Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Falcons as a pass-rush specialist through 2016.
Now he is back where he belongs in the NFL albeit with the Giants, a hated rival of the green and white.
One of his top plays in a Jets uniform was his 27-yard pick-six in the 1999 season opener versus the Patriots.
A random @nflthrowback: #Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe throwing a 27-yard pick-six in the 4th quarter of the 1999 season opener to #Jets LB Bryan Cox. Also that neck roll tho 👀 #TakeFlight #NFL
Additionally, he was most well known for and associated with the unusual neck roll he wore throughout his career.
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Ex-Jets Player, Coach Makes NFL Comeback With Hated Rival