Chuck Bednarik stood over Frank Gifford, Reggie White wore a halo around his head, Jeremiah Trotter swung an ax, Brian Dawkins flexed his biceps _ and then there was Fletcher Cox. The Eagles created a mural for a video the team released last week, showing it in the final cutaway during the closing credits.
The mural featured the great defenders in franchise history, names that have become synonymous with defense in Philadelphia. And Cox, who is only 25 years old and in his fifth NFL season, was included in the group.
"I'm probably far from them," Cox said. "But it is an honor, though, for the Eagles to even have me in that conversation. But I've still got a lot of work to do to even get to where those guys are. They are the greats to be a part of this organization."
Carson Wentz is becoming the franchise quarterback, Malcolm Jenkins and Jordan Matthews are de facto team spokesmen, and established veterans such as Jason Peters, Connor Barwin, and Jason Kelce have earned Pro Bowl bids. But it's difficult to argue whom the best player on the Eagles is.
Cox made his first Pro Bowl last season and was second-team all-pro for the second consecutive year. The Eagles gave him a six-year, $103 million contract during the offseason. So the question becomes: What's next for Cox?
"To be a Hall of Famer," defensive end Brandon Graham said. "And win a championship, so we can be known forever in Philly."
