Marvin Cobb
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | August 6, 1953 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 189 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Notre Dame (Riverside, California) | ||||||||
| College: | USC | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1975 / round: 11 / pick: 276 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Marvin Lawrence Cobb (born August 6, 1953) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 11th round of the 1975 NFL draft.[1] He played high school football at Notre Dame High School in Riverside, California, and college football for the USC Trojans, where he also played shortstop on the baseball team.[1][2] With USC, Cobb played on 2 College World Series champion baseball teams (1973 and 1974) and 2 National Champion football teams (1972 and 1974).[2]
Cobb played 5 seasons for the Bengals, from 1975 to 1979. During those five years he played in 71 games, starting 54 and making 13 interceptions, playing as both a free safety and strong safety.[1] He also served as a kick returner occasionally, returning five punts and one kickoff between 1975 and 1977.[1] In 1977, he also got to play a little on offense. In a game against the San Diego Chargers on October 2, Cobb threw an incomplete pass.[3] In a Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 17, Cobb got one rushing attempt but did not gain any yardage.[4] Cobb also played for the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings, splitting eight games between the two teams in 1980.[1] He also served as a kick returner for the Steelers.[1]
In 1986, Cobb became an assistant athletic director at USC.[5] Cobb was outspoken about the fact that black athletes at USC were graduating at a lower rate than white students and he did not see anything being done to assist those students.[5] After Cobb was denied a promotion in 1990 or 1991, he sued the university for racial discrimination and breach of contract, saying that the university denied the promotion because his advocacy for its black athletes.[5][6][7] USC was represented by Johnnie Cochran, who later represented O. J. Simpson in his murder trial and in a turn of events similar to an issue in that trial, it was revealed that some USC employees had suggested framing Cobb for a fake drug bust.[7] Cobb was eventually awarded $1.1 million.[5]
Cobb has also been active in raising awareness of the impact football injuries can have on players later in life.[8] He has also been active in attempting to increase pension and medical benefits for former players.[9] He became a director of the Independent Retired Players Summit.[8][9] He is also president of the Retired NFL Players Congress.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Marvin Cobb". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ a b Leach, B. "Never Make the Same Mistake Once: Remembering USC Baseball Coach Rod Dedeaux". SABR. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals 3 at San Diego Chargers 24 Sunday, October 2, 1977". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals 14 at Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Monday, October 17, 1977". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Elder, L. (2003). Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies and the Special Interests That Divide America. Macmillan. pp. 170–171. ISBN 9780312320171.
- ^ "Appellate Court Supports USC Suit". Associated Press. May 27, 1998. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ a b Keil, B.L. & Mitchell, D. (February 17, 1997). "Johnnie Cochran Plays the Field". New York Magazine. p. 11. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ a b Nagel, K. & Morrison, J. (May 19, 2012). "NFL retirees struggle with injuries, financial woes". Cox Media Group. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ a b "Marvin Cobb, Steelers Safety, 1980 and Independent Retired Players Summit Director". Pittsburgh Sports Daily Bulletin. May 31, 1992. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ Roberts, T. (May 30, 2014). "Retired NFL Players Congress Meets in Arlington". Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- 1953 births
- Living people
- American football safeties
- USC Trojans football players
- USC Trojans baseball players
- Cincinnati Bengals players
- Pittsburgh Steelers players
- Minnesota Vikings players
- Players of American football from Riverside, California
- Players of American football from Detroit
- Baseball players from Detroit
- Baseball players from Riverside, California