The Atlanta Falcons today announced that they have hired Bryan Cox as defensive line coach.
Cox joins the Falcons after two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he coached the defensive front seven and served as the pass rush specialist. Cox helped several players post career bests, including DT Gerald McCoy who totaled 14 sacks, 36 quarterback hits, and 24 tackles for loss over the last two seasons while earning his first Pro Bowl selection in 2012.
Prior to joining the Buccaneers, Cox spent six seasons working his way up the coaching ranks with the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and Miami Dolphins. In 2011, he helped the Dolphins finish in the top 10 in sacks with 41 while serving as the club's pass rush specialist. He joined the Dolphins after spending the 2009-10 seasons with the Cleveland Browns as defensive line coach where he tutored linemen that accounted for 11.5 sacks in his first season in 2009.
Cox began his coaching career with the New York Jets, spending three seasons as assistant defensive line coach (2006-08). In 2008, he helped the Jets defense rank seventh in the NFL in both sacks (41.0) and rushing defense (94.9 yards per game). Before becoming a coach, Cox played 12 years in the NFL as a linebacker. He was selected by the Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL Draft (113th overall) and spent his first five seasons in Miami. Cox went on to play for the Chicago Bears (1996-97), New York Jets (1998-2000), and the New England Patriots where he won a Super Bowl after the 2001 season. Cox finished his career in 2002 with the New Orleans Saints after earning three Pro Bowl selections, playing in 165 career games and posting 51.5 career sacks.
