Chad Garrett Cota (born August 8, 1971 in Ashland, Oregon) is a former professional American football strong safety in the NFL. He attended Ashland High School followed by the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and the St. Louis Rams over eight seasons. He retired in 2003. Chad Cota is also part owner of Prime Time Ventures which is DBA InfoStructure in Ashland, Oregon.