Mason Cox is a 211-centimetre American ruck-forward who became one of the most remarkable stories in Australian rules football history. Born in Texas, Cox had never heard of the sport until his early twenties, yet went on to play 139 games for Collingwood and win a premiership in 2023. He was delisted by the Magpies in October 2025, but found a lifeline at Fremantle and is now preparing for another grand final.
Where is Mason Cox from?
Mason Cox was born on March 14, 1991, in Highland Village, Texas. He attended Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas, before playing college basketball at Oklahoma State University. Standing 211 centimetres tall, Cox was a fringe player for the Cowboys, averaging just 0.3 points and 1.0 rebound per game across 24 appearances in his senior season.
After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, Cox’s life changed when he was invited to the US International Combine, a program designed to identify international athletes for Australian rules football. He met with five AFL clubs before choosing Collingwood as his home.
How did Mason Cox become an AFL player?
Cox was signed by Collingwood as an international rookie in 2014 after impressing at combines in Los Angeles and Australia. The transition was brutal — Kane Cornes later recalled watching early VFL footage where Cox couldn’t kick on the run and would often manage just three or four touches per game.
He made his AFL debut on Anzac Day in 2016, kicking the first goal of the game in front of 85,082 people at the MCG. After 20 games across his first two seasons, Cox became a regular in 2018 as Collingwood surged up the ladder.
What is Mason Cox famous for?
Cox’s defining moment came in the 2018 preliminary final against Richmond at the MCG. With Collingwood as underdogs against the reigning premiers, Cox produced a performance that stunned the football world — 15 disposals, 11 marks (eight of them contested), and three goals on superstar full-back Alex Rance. The Magpies upset Richmond to reach the grand final, where they lost to West Coast in a thriller.
Five years later, Cox became a premiership player when Collingwood defeated Brisbane in the 2023 grand final. He also became an Australian citizen in 2022 during a ceremony at the MCG.
Why does Mason Cox wear goggles?
Cox suffered a detached retina during a game in 2019 and underwent multiple eye surgeries. He ultimately earned special permission to wear prescription goggles to prolong his career. The eyewear became part of his distinctive on-field persona and only added to his cult-hero status at Collingwood.
What happened to Mason Cox at Collingwood?
In October 2025, Collingwood confirmed that Cox would not be offered a contract for the 2026 season, along with Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell. Cox announced the news himself in an emotional Instagram video to his 126,000 followers.
“Unfortunately, I’ll be not wearing the black and white anymore, and I wanted to send a massive thank you to all the people that have shown so much love and care for me over the years,” Cox said. “It’s crazy to think you’d never heard of a sport, worked your way up through a lot of hard work and effort… to then being a premiership player.”
Collingwood list manager Justin Leppitsch paid tribute, saying: “Mason, who moved to the other side of the world to pursue a sport he had never played before, worked incredibly hard to learn the unique skills of Australian Rules. His dedication and commitment to Collingwood are a credit to the person he is.”
Where is Mason Cox now?
Despite being delisted by Collingwood at age 34, Cox found a new home at Fremantle. The Dockers had tried to recruit him multiple times before, and he arrived as backup for the established ruck pairing of Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy.
When Darcy missed the round six western derby due to concussion, Cox seized his opportunity, playing 19 of the next 21 games and becoming a constant in Justin Longmuir’s side. Fremantle finished as minor premiers with a club-record 19 wins, and Cox is now preparing for today’s grand final against Brisbane.
If Fremantle wins, Cox will join the small list of players to have won AFL premierships at two different clubs — a remarkable achievement for someone who had never heard of the sport until he was 23.
What has been said about Mason Cox?
Kane Cornes described Cox’s career as nothing short of miraculous. “The vision of him when he was first trying to kick a footy… you forget the improvement in him. To do what he did, and play as many games as he has, I think it is one of the best stories we’ve seen.”
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley called Cox “the ultimate opportunist in big moments,” adding: “The bigger the game, the bigger the opportunity he feels to prove his worth and elevate above the rest.”
Cox’s older brother Nolan offered a simpler explanation for why the American has never seemed bothered by criticism: “He didn’t grow up in this bubble. He had never even heard of this sport until he was 23, so it’s sort of just a bit of fun for him. In a way, he’s playing with house money.”
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