Morgan Cox, native Memphian and long snapper for the Tennessee Titans, prioritizes his longevity as he looks ahead and prepares for his upcoming sixteenth season in the NFL. Along with his laser focus on his health, longevity, and injury prevention, Morgan still appreciates what made him fall in love with football as a kid — the fun of the game and spending time with friends.
Morgan started playing football in fifth grade and tried long snapping in his first practice. A long snapper is a specialized position that snaps the ball to a holder or punter, blocks following the snap, and covers punts. Though he also enjoyed playing more classic positions, Morgan always excelled as a long snapper and enjoyed being able to compete and contribute to his teams in different ways.
Playing football in college at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Morgan realized he had the potential to play in the NFL. After training diligently and putting in the work throughout his college career, Morgan was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2010. “Transitioning from high school to college football, there is certainly a new sense of responsibility, but college to NFL is an even greater mental jump. Since it was my career now, I had to stay constantly competitive and make sure I was making the whole team and state I represented proud,” Morgan says.
Despite challenges in his career, such as ACL injuries, Morgan played for the Ravens until 2020, when his contract expired, and he was even on the team during a Super Bowl win in 2012. When the Ravens did not renew his contract in 2020, Morgan trusted that the right opportunity would arise for him, and he soon found himself signing to play for his home state. “It was such a dream to play in the NFL in the first place, and then to come home and play for the Tennessee Titans really felt unbelievable,” Morgan remembers. Now, Morgan lives with his wife and four kids in Collierville and travels to Nashville to train with the Titans.
On and off-season, Morgan’s training is about maintaining strength and agility while ensuring longevity and injury prevention. During the off-season, Morgan typically does CrossFit in the morning and cardio at night. He trains at NBS Fitness in Collierville, where he enjoys the community environment and encouragement while away from his teammates. When it comes time to start preparing for the next season, Morgan will begin training with the team in Nashville, working on his strength, sprints, and agility. As the team approaches the start of football season, additional training is added to practice the game and install plays. During the regular season, the team focuses on recovery and supplemental work on top of their regular workouts.
When looking towards the future, Morgan is more focused on what he is doing now to be the best player he can be and to stay healthy and competitive for as long as he can. He is confident he will continue succeeding after his NFL career ends. “I feel like the principles I have developed that have made me successful in the NFL will serve me later in life, whatever path that is.
By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens
