Gocong attended Carpinteria High School in Carpinteria, California and was a letterman in football as a quarterback and linebacker. He also lettered in track and field. In football, as a linebacker, he posted 330 tackles over two years. In track and field, he was a two-time All-League honoree in the discus and shot put and set the school record in the discus (183' 3") in his junior year. Gocong was a two-time All-Tri-Valley League linebacker in football and a two-time All-CIF-Southern Section linebacker.
College career
Gocong played college football at Cal Poly where he won the 2005 Buck Buchanan Award as college football's best I-AA defensive player, garnering 44 first-place ballots and 359 total voting points.[1]
He saw limited action in six games during the 2001 season at Cal Poly, recording six tackles (three solo). He then redshirted in 2002 and started the 2003 campaign as the team's nose guard. Gocong totaled 37 tackles (20 solo) with a sack and eight stops for losses that year.
In 2005, Gocong set a Division I-AA single-season record with 23.5 sacks and led the nation with 31 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.[2] He recorded a career-high 98 tackles,[3] caused four fumbles, recovered two others and deflected four passes. He was voted a unanimous All-American.
In 41 career games with the Mustangs, Gocong started 35 times. He recorded 212 tackles as he set an NCAA career record with 42 sacks for minus-284 yards. His 61.5 stops for losses of 330 yards rank fourth in Division I-AA history. He recovered three fumbles and caused six others. He also intercepted a pass, deflected eight others and blocked a kick.
Gocong graduated from the university with a degree in biomedical engineering.[4] He was inducted into the Cal Poly Hall of Fame in 2022 as part of the Mustangs' first class to be enshrined following return from the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
Gocong was selected in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, but missed the entire 2006 season due to an injury suffered before the preseason.[7] He made his NFL debut on September 9, 2007, where he started at the "Sam" linebacker position. He alternated snaps at defensive end and linebacker and recorded his first career sack (Tom Brady) on November 25, 2007, in the Eagles' road game at the New England Patriots. In all, Gocong played in all 16 games serving as the team's SAM linebacker, and recorded 92 tackles, one sack, four hurries and two passed defended. His seven tackles-for-losses ranked second on the team. Also recorded 11 special teams tackles. During the 2007 season, Gocong was the host of the Chris Gocong Show on ESPN 1450. The show was hosted by Mike Gill, live from Chickie's and Pete's in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.
In 2008, he finished tied for third on the team in special teams tackles with 19. He also had 61 total tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as the Eagles starting strongside linebacker.
In the first seven games of the 2009 season, Gocong started at his normal position at "Sam" linebacker. He was inactive in week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys due to a hamstring injury suffered the week before against the New York Giants. Due to injuries at the middle linebacker position, Gocong started his first game at middle linebacker against the San Diego Chargers in week 9. In week 14, he lost his starting "Sam" linebacker job to rookie Moise Fokou.
He was re-signed to a one-year contract on March 30, 2010.[8]
Cleveland Browns
On April 2, 2010, Gocong was traded, along with cornerback Sheldon Brown to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for linebacker Alex Hall, and 4th and 5th round draft picks in the 2010 NFL draft.[9] On August 4, 2012, during a training camp practice, Gocong was lost for the 2012 season due to a right Achilles tendon rupture that required surgery.[10]
Post-football, Gocong became an accomplished painter.[12] In the fall of 2022, his work was displayed at Kate Oh Gallery's "Let There Be Light" exhibit on Madison Avenue in New York.[13]
References
^Milne, Brian (December 16, 2005). "Gocong Makes it Repeat Buchanan Wins for Poly". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. D1.
^Milne, Brian (December 15, 2005). "An All-American Twice More: Cal Poly Defensive End Chris Gocong Has Been Named to Two More All-America Teams". San Luis Obispo Tribune. pp. D1.
^Aird, Tristan (January 14, 2006). "Gocong to Play in Elite Matchup". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. D1.
^Lloyd, Jo Ann (2006). "An Eagle With the Heart of a Mustang". Cal Poly Magazine. Winter 2006: 19.
