Alexandria native Alie-Cox takes path from hardwood to gridiron to become Colts gem
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (BVM) — It seems as though this story has been told before. A collegiate basketball player decided to make the jump from the NCAA hardwood to the NFL in hopes that their size and athleticism can land them a spot with a team. This player then goes undrafted only to shock the NFL community down the road by building a rapport with quarterback Phillip Rivers and establish himself as a serious NFL tight end threat. Yes, this was the career of one Antonio Gates, but he’s not the only one who has gone down this eerily similar path. This year it is Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox who has been on the receiving end of Rivers’ throws while also legitimizing his move from the college basketball ranks to the highest level of football competition.
Alie-Cox was born in Alexandria, Va. and was of course an athlete growing up. As a 6-foot-2 freshman at South County High School in Lorton, Va., Alie-Cox was a specimen for both the school’s football and basketball teams. On the football field, he played defensive end and tight end while on the basketball court he was a formidable forward. After that freshman season, Alie-Cox made the decision to transfer to Middleburg Academy to put his sole focus into the sport of basketball.
The decision would pay off well for Alie-Cox. Soon, the young athlete would sprout from a 6-foot-2 freshman to a 6-foot-7 senior becoming a dominant force in the paint. As a junior, he led Middleburg Academy with 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks per game on his way to first team all-state honors. His senior campaign was even more dominant as he averaged almost 20 points and 10 rebounds on his way to another first team all-state selection. His play on the court would make him the No. 9 recruit in the state for his class and earn the attention of a number of Division I programs including George Washington, Nevada and Wake Forest, though Alie-Cox would ultimately elect to stay close to home and play with the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams led by then-coach Shaka Smart.
It would take Alie-Cox some time to break into the Rams’ starting rotation as he was redshirted his first year and only started four games during his next season. However, once Alie-Cox finally hit the floor as a full-time starter, he became one of the best Rams to play.
Alie-Cox was a staple in the Rams frontcourt over his last three years playing with the team, starting each game during those seasons. A defensive power, Alie-Cox was named to the Atlantic-10 Conference All-Defensive team each of his last three seasons with the Rams while also racking up 255 blocks, good for No. 2 in VCU history, earning him the fan-dubbed mantra “Mo Says No.” Though he was better known as a defender, Alie-Cox was also efficient for the Rams offensively, finishing with the record for field goal percentage in a career at 57.4%. Alie-Cox would finish his career with the Rams totaling 1,092 points, 663 rebounds, 87 steals, 112 assists and 255 blocks in 3,322 minutes.
Alie-Cox admitted he tried to model his game after another ferocious defensive big-man: Dwight Howard.
“Dwight Howard was my favorite player growing up besides Kobe of course,” Alie-Cox told Colts 360. “Dwight Howard was the reason I wore number 12. Just the energy he brought, blocking shots and dunking on people so I kind of tried to play like him a lot when I was playing basketball.”
Although 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Alie-Cox was considered an undersized big in the NBA, and with a perceived lack of ability to jump shoot, he was not seen as a legitimate NBA prospect. That’s when Alie-Cox decided to give his old passion for football another go.
Following his redshirt senior year with the Rams, Alie-Cox was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts on April 21, 2017. He had a difficult time transitioning to the NFL with an injury derailing his rookie season and placing him on the injured reserve in August of that year. He would be waived from the injured reserve later that August before being signed to the Colts practice squad in October. The next January, Alie-Cox would sign a future/reserve contract with the team which is typically given to minimum-salary players.
“It’s definitely been a battle, but I’ve just tried to keep my head down and just keep working hard,” Alie Cox said. “One thing I learned early on in my playing career from playing basketball was from Coach Smart. He was like, ‘Control what you can control,’ so every day when I come in this building or when I leave the building I try to control what I can control and try to work as hard as possible and hopefully things fall in my favor.”
He may be a pro football player now, but he’s also one of THE GREATEST VCU BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF ALL-TIME. Happy birthday, @MoAlie81!!! pic.twitter.com/ZN0oXcGkEl
— Ram Nation (@VCURamNation) September 19, 2020
Over his next two seasons in the NFL, Alie-Cox would play minimally for the Colts on special teams and earned some reps with the offense. In two seasons, Alie-Cox would have just 15 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns in a reserve role. However, 2020 would provide Alie-Cox with a new opportunity.
In the Colts’ Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings, Alie-Cox was thrust into the starting lineup with starting tight end Jack Doyle missing the game with a knee and ankle injury and fellow tight end Trey Burton on injured reserve. At 27-years-old, Alie-Cox would finally start his first NFL game.
Alie-Cox not only played well, but had the game of his life. Alie-Cox finished with his first 100-yard game, catching five passes for 111 yards including a tremendous 33-yard catch in traffic. Following the victory, Alie-Cox received kudos from members of his team.
“I remember when I first got here, (General manager Chris Ballard) telling me about this former basketball player that we had at tight end that he really thought was going to develop into a big time player in this league and we’ve just seen that,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said in a postgame press conference. “It’s been a gradual development with Mo and really the credit is to Mo. He works so hard. It’s so important to him. He’s physically and mentally tough and he continues to get better.”
Rivers also felt good about the connection he was able to build with his new starting tight end.
“Mo is a big man,” Rivers said. “He’s a big man. He’s a big man in street clothes and you see him in uniform and he just stands out. We just got some good work over camp and certainly this week more so with Jack and Trey both out now. He made some huge plays. Some huge plays early in some drives that got us rolling. … Heck of a day for Mo.”
Though a breakout game for Alie-Cox, he attributed the success to the offense’s preparation heading into the matchup.
“Just going out and working hard every day,” Alie-Cox said. “This week just had a good week in practice. We made a bunch of those same plays in practice and we just tried to carry that over to the game. … It was great to go out there and have a great day, but at the end of the day it was just one game. We have higher goals we want to achieve.”
The next week against the New York Jets, Alie-Cox would be on the receiving end of a historic pass. Rivers completed his 400th career touchdown to Alie-Cox early in the second quarter, becoming only the sixth NFL player to do so, joining Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Dan Marino. Being the recipient of such a pass was special for Alie-Cox.
“It means a lot,” Alie-Cox said of catching the historic touchdown. “I had no clue it was even a milestone until I just heard you guys in the background talking about it. It feels great.”
Through three games this season, Alie-Cox has had a career year already. With 10 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown, Alie-Cox has made a case for more playing time even when Burton comes off of injured reserve.
For now, fans will be satisfied with his continued production and growth with Rivers and a connection like Rivers once had with the San Diego Chargers and his favorite basketball player turned tight end Gates. Though it has been done before in similar fashion, Alie-Cox is out to make his own name with the Colts, proving doubters wrong, and will do so one game and one catch at a time.
