Collingwood Football Club has terminated the contract of American ruckman Mason Cox with immediate effect following serious allegations of sexual misconduct, the club announced in a brief statement late Thursday night.
The 34-year-old, who has played 122 games for the Magpies since arriving as an international rookie in 2014, was stood down indefinitely on Wednesday after Victoria Police confirmed they were investigating complaints made against him. Sources close to the club say at least two separate allegations dating back to incidents in 2024 and early 2025 were formally lodged earlier this month.
In a statement released at 10:47 pm, Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly said the decision was made “in the strongest possible terms” after the club’s integrity unit completed a preliminary investigation.
“Collingwood Football Club has zero tolerance for behaviour of this nature,” Kelly said. “While the legal process must now take its course, the club has determined that Mason Cox’s ongoing association with the Collingwood Football Club is untenable. His contract has been terminated effective immediately.”
Cox, who was in the final year of a two-year deal reportedly worth around $550,000 per season, becomes the highest-profile AFL player to be sacked over off-field allegations since the 2023 Hawthorn racism saga fallout.
The club has declined to comment on specifics of the allegations, citing the active police investigation. However, multiple Melbourne media outlets have reported that the complaints involve non-consensual behaviour at private gatherings following Collingwood matches last season.
Cox did not travel with the team to Perth for this weekend’s clash against Fremantle and has gone to ground, with his social media accounts deactivated within hours of the story breaking.
The towering Texan, famous for his 2018 preliminary final heroics and his larger-than-life personality on and off the field, had been in strong form in 2025, averaging 29 hit-outs and playing every game before the sudden stand-down.
Collingwood president Jeff Browne addressed members outside the Holden Centre shortly after the announcement, describing the past 48 hours as “among the darkest in our club’s recent history.”
No charges have been laid at this stage. Victoria Police have urged anyone with information to come forward. The AFL Integrity Unit is also conducting its own investigation and is expected to issue its own sanctions in the coming days.
