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Marvin Cobb

Marvin Lawrence Cobb (born August 6, 1953) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 11th round of the 1975 NFL Draft.^[1] He played high school football at Notre Dame High SchoolinRiverside, California and college footballatUSC, where he also played shortstop on the baseball team.^[1][2] With USC, Cobb played on 2 College World Series champion baseball teams (1973 and 1974) and 2 National Champion football teams (1972 and 1974).^[2]

Cobb played 5 seasons for the Bengals, from 1975 to 1979. During those five years he played in 71 games, starting 54 and making 13 interceptions, playing as both a free safety and strong safety.^[1] He also served as a kick returner occasionally, returning five punts and one kickoff between 1975 and 1977.^[1] In 1977, he also got to play a little on offense. In a game against the San Diego Chargers on October 2, Cobb threw an incomplete pass.^[3] In a Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 17, Cobb got one rushing attempt but did not gain any yardage.^[4] Cobb also played for the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings, splitting eight games between the two teams in 1980.^[1] He also served as a kick returner for the Steelers.^[1]

In 1986, Cobb became an assistant athletic director at USC.^[5] Cobb was outspoken about the fact that black athletes at USC were graduating at a lower rate than white students and he did not see anything being done to assist those students.^[5] After Cobb was denied a promotion in 1990 or 1991, he sued the university for racial discrimination and breach of contract, saying that the university denied the promotion because his advocacy for its black athletes.^[5][6][7] USC was represented by Johnnie Cochran, who later represented O. J. Simpson in his murder trial and in a turn of events similar to an issue in that trial, it was revealed that some USC employees had suggested framing Cobb for a fake drug bust.^[7] Cobb was eventually awarded $1.1 million.^[5]

Cobb has also been active in raising awareness of the impact football injuries can have on players later in life.^[8] He has also been active in attempting to increase pension and medical benefits for former players.^[9] He became a director of the Independent Retired Players Summit.^[8][9] He is also president of the Retired NFL Players Congress.^[10]