In His Own Words: Marvin Cobb

I am responding to your invitation to write something for your blog, and I want to thank you for providing this opportunity. 

As you know, I was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 11^th round of the 1975 draft.  I was told I would have gone higher in the NFL draft if the California Angels hadn’t already drafted me in the 7^th round of the 1975 Major League Baseball draft.  

What no one knew at the time was an injury I developed from throwing curve balls as a little league pitcher. I played shortstop in high school and at USC, and quickly discovered that the harder I threw the ball to first base, the less my arm hurt. I didn’t think my arm would hold up at the major league level, and that’s why I signed with the Bengals instead of the Angels.

As a side note…after graduating from USC, I aspired to be a lawyer, and had been accepted at the University of San Diego Law School on an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship. I went to the Bengals training camp thinking if I did not make the team, I would go to law school.

I did make the Bengals roster as a rookie, largely due to one play during the rookie camp. Bill Walsh was the Bengals receiver coach in 1975, and none of his rookie receivers could get away from me. The DB coach was giving Bill the business on the sideline, and Coach Walsh called time out.  He went to the other practice field where the starters were working out, and got Isaac Curtis to come to our field and run a pattern against me…a post corner route. His post move was so good that when he came back on the corner move, he ran right into me and I intercepted the ball. 

After practice was over, I walked by Isaac in the locker room, and he said to me, “If he’d thrown the post, I’d still be running rook.” I couldn’t argue. Later that day, my agent called me to say the Bengals wanted to give me 3^rd round money, and the Angels couldn’t match that.

One of my most memorable NFL games came against the Steelers in my rookie year.  After covering Lynn Swann during USC practices for two years, I was excited to start when our first string corner back pulled a hamstring during pregame warm up.  Terry Bradshaw obviously changed the play to throw to Lynn…to no avail.  Despite at least half a dozen attempts, Swann caught one 8 yard out on me.

Shifting gears, I have been closely following the issue of CTE and brain injury in NFL players. I count myself lucky at this stage of life, considering my high school coach preached tackling with a “put your face between his numbers” approach.  However, many of my peers and their families are now suffering with the effects of brain damage and memory impairment. 

And that is primarily why, after a career in various non-profits working with inner city youth, including Operation Hope (http://operationhope.org) and the Goals For Life Foundation (https://www.goalsforlife.net), I now work with the Retired NFL Players Congress (https://www.playerscongress.com). Our goal is to help supplement the retirement income of NFL players with a focus on pre 1993 retirees, and to share the current strategies for dealing with our specific issues. The Players Congress is now officially licensed to sell NFL team jackets and apparel, and we have recently developed an income producing partnership with a commercial real estate firm in Southern California. 

I will close on a more personal note. After almost ten years together, I am still deeply in love with a pretty curly haired girl from Ohio. 

In Service,

Marvin Cobb

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