Former Mississippi State player Fletcher Cox was accused of accepting a free plane ride from an agent prior to his college eligibility running out. On Thursday, following practice with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cox said he is not concerning himself with the story right now.
“Right now I can’t comment on that because I don’t know what’s going on,” Cox said after practice on Thursday, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. “I don’t worry about those things. I’ll have more when I hear from my agent.”
A report by Yahoo Sports linked Cox in an agent scandal that involved four former and one current SEC football player. In it, Cox is accused of accepting a plane ticket from Alabama to Florida valued at over $1,200, which of course would be a violation of NCAA rules.
Cox was drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 12th overall pick. Cox and the Eagles host the San Diego Chargers this weekend in the home opener for former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly and the Eagles. Cox remains focused on what lies ahead of him rather than focusing on what may have happened in the past.
“It’s not a distraction,” Cox said in the NJ.com story. “I’m focused, it’s not on my mind. I came to practice, and whatever happens happens.”
As for Cox, nothing will happen to him at this point. Mississippi State though could have a tougher road ahead of them. Already on probation by the NCAA, any violation could put the program at risk of some sort of sanctions. That assumes the NCAA can find a way to conduct an investigation that would result in the same information provided by Yahoo Sports and have testimony from key witnesses that would verify the information.