Fred Cox

Fred William Cox (December 11, 1938 – November 20, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a kicker for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings. After playing college football for Pittsburgh, he was drafted 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. 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 Cox played college football at the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 8th 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. Professional career Cox is the Vikings' all-time leader in scoring (1,365 points) and field goals (282). He is also one of 11 Vikings players to have played in all four of their Super Bowl appearances during the 1970s.