Tarik Cohen’s motivation returned when he saw a photo of himself
Tarik Cohen is happy to be back in the NFL.
During his media availability on Tuesday, the former Chicago Bears running back spoke about how it feels to be back in the NFL and what he can bring to the New York Jets in 2024. He said it is a “great feeling” to be back at a training camp after missing multiple seasons due to injury.
“When you are out of the league, and you are out of a locker room, you missed that vibe, you know, that camaraderie with your teammates and your brothers. So it’s great to be back in that,” said Cohen.
The running back said that he let himself “get fat” and weighed around 207 pounds, which was the driving force for him to commit to working out again and eventually get into football shape.
“It got real easy once I saw a picture of myself, and then I really just turned it on without even the intention of coming back to the NFL. I just started grinding, and then my body started to feel way better, and I started making that decision to come back to the NFL.”
Cohen says he now weighs about 190-191 pounds.
When asked about the new kickoff rules, Cohen said he feels like they are a great fit for him.
“It’s very exciting for me. It’s a custom-tailored position they just added to football, that I can compete and play and do well in,” said the running back.
Cohen is a feel-good story up to this point in camp due to his level of play. Head coach Robert Saleh said that the running back “looks good” and has his “short-area quickness back.” He also added that Cohen is still getting his legs back underneath him and will need to find his “long speed.”
Despite not having his long speed, Cohen has been impressive at camp. He has been one of the shiftiest offensive players, breaking off some big gains in the passing and running games. But with the team’s running back depth, Cohen’s best role is on special teams.
As he alluded to, the new kickoff rules are designed to benefit a player like Cohen. With his great vision and overall athleticism, the former All-Pro returner could have a chance to break off multiple big plays for the Jets as a returner.
If he continues a hot start of the summer through August, Cohen has a chance to go from a feel-good story to a key contributor for an all-in Jets team in 2024.
