MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – The Canadian Football League announced its finalists for the year-end Most Outstanding Player Awards on Thursday and Alouettes linebacker Chip Cox will represent the East Division as its top defensive player.
Cox, one of the most consistent players within the Alouettes’ defence year-after-year, finished the 2013 regular season with 115 defensive tackles and 12 sacks, good for first and fourth in the CFL respectively, while also recording four interceptions and twelve tackles for losses totaling 42 yards. Unmatched in versatility, the club’s all-time leader in defensive tackles with 602 also earned Defensive Player of the Month honours in both August and October.
Most recently in Week 19, Cox established a new team record for the number defensive tackles in a single season (115), breaking Tracy Gravely’s mark of 110 set in 1996. The eight-year veteran also helped secure a crucial Week 5 victory for Montreal after leading the charge on a third-down goal line stand on the final play of the game against the Edmonton Eskimos at Percival Molson Stadium.
In addition to his duties on defence, the Columbus, OH native plays full-time on special teams and has showcased his speed and athleticism via a number of touchdown-saving tackles, chasing down ball carriers in the open field. He recorded nine special teams tackles this season.
The East and West Player Award winners were selected by a panel of 70 voters, including members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches. The 2013 Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards will be handed out on Thursday, November 21 at Conexus Centre in Regina.
