Another Eagles star sparks retirement speculation
Dec 25, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General overall view of the Philadelphia Eagles logo at midfield during an NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to lose a key player with veteran center Jason Kelce reportedly planning to retire, and there has been some speculation that another core member of the team could be next.
Fletcher Cox shared a post on Instagram Tuesday that many fans interpreted as an indication he is planning to retire. The veteran defensive tackle posted a photo of him standing between Kelce and Brandon Graham and captioned it with three saluting emojis.
It is possible that Cox was simply sharing a tribute to Kelce, who has reportedly decided he will not be back next season. Philadelphia’s longtime core will not look the same with Kelce gone even if both Cox and Graham return, but it would hardly be a shock if Cox called it a career as well.
Cox turned 33 last month. He has been with the Eagles since they drafted him in the first round back in 2012 and missed only a handful of games in his 12-year career.
Though he is not quite the force he was during his prime, Cox still had 5 sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games this season. He had 7 sacks and played in all 17 games a year ago. Cox made the Pro Bowl every season from 2015-2020.
Cox signed a 1-year, $10 million deal with the Eagles last offseason, so he is set to become a free agent. Even if he does not retire, it is possible Philadelphia will want to spend money elsewhere after they fell apart down the stretch and were dominated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the opening round of the playoffs.