Garry Cobb facts for kids

Garry Wilbert Cobb (born March 16, 1957) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Southern California.

After his football career, Garry became a sports analyst. He talks about the Philadelphia Eagles on TV for Fox affiliate WTXF-TV and on the radio for 94.1 WIP. He also briefly entered politics, running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 2014.

Early Life and High School Sports

Garry Cobb grew up in North Carolina and Connecticut with his family. He often shares fun stories about his childhood.

He went to Stamford High School in Stamford, Connecticut, and graduated in 1975. Garry was a fantastic athlete there. He was named an All-American in both baseball and football. He also played basketball for his school.

College Football Career

Garry received a scholarship to play football at the University of Southern California for the USC Trojans football team. During his time there, his team won two Rose Bowl championships. They also won a National Championship.

For his first three years, he played as an outside linebacker. In his junior year, he was second on the team in tackles. Later, he moved to play defensive end as a senior. He was recognized as an honorable-mention All-Pac-10 player in 1978. He earned his degree in Sociology in 1979.

Garry also played baseball as a center fielder for two years in college. After graduating, he had offers to play professional baseball from the California Angels and Chicago Cubs. However, he chose to play in the National Football League instead.

Professional Football Journey

Garry Cobb had an exciting career playing for several NFL teams.

Starting with the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys picked Garry in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL draft. This means they chose him as the 247th player overall in that year's draft. However, he was released from the team on August 21, 1979.

Playing for the Detroit Lions

On October 24, 1979, Garry signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent. A free agent is a player who is not under contract with any team and can sign with any team they choose.

For his first two years with the Lions, he mostly played on special teams. These are units that play during kickoffs, punts, and field goals. In 1981, he became a full-time starter as a strongside linebacker. That year, he made 121 tackles, which was the second-highest on the team. He also had 3 interceptions and 2.5 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

In 1982, Garry missed three games due to a knee injury. He still managed to get 33 tackles and 2 interceptions. The next year, in 1983, he had an impressive 150 tackles and 4 interceptions. He was a defensive captain for the Lions three times. He also helped the team reach the playoffs in both 1982 and 1983.

In 1984, he recorded 128 tackles and 3 sacks. After some contract discussions, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1985.

Time with the Philadelphia Eagles

In 1985, Garry had 97 tackles and 5 sacks for the Eagles. The next year, in 1986, he made 102 tackles and 6 sacks. He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week after a game against the Atlanta Falcons. In that game, he had 9 tackles and a team-record 4 sacks!

While playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, Garry started in 39 of 44 games, mostly as a weakside linebacker. He played alongside famous players like quarterback Randall Cunningham and Hall of Famer Reggie White. He was part of a very strong defensive team under coach Buddy Ryan. He was released by the Eagles on August 22, 1988.

Return to the Dallas Cowboys

On August 25, 1988, Garry signed with the Dallas Cowboys again as a free agent. The Cowboys needed help at the linebacker position due to many injuries. He started 14 games and had 104 tackles. He also tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks. In one game against the New York Giants, he had 10 tackles and a sack. In the next game against the Atlanta Falcons, he recorded 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

In 1989, Garry had problems with his left knee and missed most of the season. He was released by the Cowboys on December 18, 1989.

Life After Football

After retiring from playing football, Garry Cobb became a well-known television and radio personality in the Philadelphia area. Fans often call him "G Cobb." His famous radio phrase is "G Cobb in the House!"

In 1997, he became a sports reporter for CBS 3's Eyewitness News Team. Today, he works for the local Fox TV station, WTXF-TV. He is an analyst for their pre-game and post-game shows about the Eagles. He also used to write columns about the Eagles for The Bulletin newspaper.

Running a Sports Website

Garry Cobb also runs a website called GCobb.com. This site shares news and rumors about the Philadelphia Eagles. The website says that about 100,000 fans visit it every month. The site even correctly reported that cornerback Asante Samuel had made a deal with the Eagles two hours before it was officially announced in 2008.

Running for Congress

In 2014, Garry Cobb decided to run for a political office. He sought the Republican nomination for New Jersey's 1st congressional district. This district is a part of New Jersey that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives.

Garry won the Republican nomination. He then faced Democrat Donald Norcross in the general election in November. However, Donald Norcross won the election with more votes.

Personal Life

Garry Cobb lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with his wife, Gwendolyn. They met while they were in college. They have three adult children: two daughters and a son named Garry Cobb II. His son also played football as a cornerback at Stanford University.

Garry is very interested in helping young people in cities. In 2002, he was honored by then-President George W. Bush for his work as a mentor to young people who were facing challenges. He was also a member of the Board of Caring People Alliance of Philadelphia. This organization helps run Boys & Girls Clubs and programs for older adults.

He also wrote a book called Don't Be Clueless: 7 Keys to Life in the Real World. This book is aimed at helping urban youth deal with challenges in their lives.