Fred William Cox (December 11, 1938 – November 20, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a placekicker for 15 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, he was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the eighth round of the 1961 NFL draft and by the New York Titans in the 28th round of the 1961 AFL draft. He was also the inventor of the Nerf football.
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Early life
Cox was raised in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, outside Pittsburgh. His parents owned and operated a small grocery store, which is still in operation by his brother's family after four generations.
College career
Cox played college football at the University of Pittsburgh and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the eighth round of the 1961 NFL draft and the New York Titans in the 28th round of the AFL Draft that same year. He never ended up playing for either team.