Eagles six-time Pro Bowl DT announces retirement

The Philadelphia Eagles are losing another one of their core veterans to retirement.

Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox issued a lengthy statement on social media Sunday announcing that he has retired. He thanked the Eagles organization, his teammates, coaches, family, and fans in Philadelphia for their support.

Cox, 33, spent his entire career with the Eagles after they drafted him in the first round back in 2012. He missed only a handful of games in his 12 seasons and made the Pro Bowl every year from 2015-2020. Cox was a first-team All-Pro in 2018.

Though he was not quite the force he was during his prime, Cox still had five sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games last season. He had seven sacks and played in all 17 games in 2022.

Eagles center Jason Kelce also announced his retirement recently, so the team will have to find a way to replace more than one longtime starter. Another key veteran announced this week that he will return for a final season in 2024.