The Untold Story of Fred Cox: From Kicking Records to Nerf Ball Inventor | A Tribute to a Minnesota Vikings Legend

Story by Mitchell Smith

Well hello everyone. Fred William Cox was born in 1938 in Monongahela, PA and passed away in 2019. Cox who was a long time kicker for the Minnesota Vikings also invented the Nerf Football. Cox’s parents owned a grocery store in PA and it is still operating after 4 generations. Cox naturally went to near by University of Pittsburgh where he played college ball.

Cox played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1963-1977 and still holds the Vikings record for all-time leading scorer. Cox who was on the team for all 4 Super Bowl appearances where they set a record for 4 losses only rivaled by the Buffalo Bills. Cox is 39 on the NFL all-time scoring list which is impressive as there are more games played today and he also doubled as a punter in many games.

In 1972 he created a soft football and sold his idea to Parker Brothers, where they turned it into the Nerf ball. Cox would also earn a chiropractor degree in 1972 and would have his own practice from 1975 to his retirement. Cox lived an interesting life and his legacy lives on every time a kid gets his very first Nerf football. Have a great week everyone.