Former Bears All-Pro Officially Announces Retirement From NFL

Chicago Bears fans have witnessed their share of memorable playmakers over the years, and one of the most exciting

was Tarik Cohen. Sadly, Cohen’s career has come to an end after a series of injuries that derailed his promising

future in the NFL.

Cohen officially announced his retirement from football on Thursday, ending his comeback attempt with the New

York Jets’ offseason roster. After being sidelined since the 2020 season, he had hoped to return to the NFL, but

injuries continued to plague his efforts.

A fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Cohen made a big impact early in his career. His rookie season saw him

shine, and he followed that up with an All-Pro performance in 2018. During his first three seasons with the Bears, he

accumulated 2,561 total yards, 14 touchdowns, and was a force on special teams with nearly 1,000 kick return yards

and 628 punt return yards. In 2018, he led the NFL in kick returns.

Unfortunately, Cohen’s promising career took a devastating turn in Week 3 of the 2020 season when he suffered a

severe knee injury, including a torn ACL, MCL, and tibial plateau fracture. He missed the rest of that season, the

entire 2021 season, and was released by the Bears in March 2022. Later that year, he sustained another major

setback, tearing his Achilles tendon while working toward a comeback.

Cohen tried again to return in 2023, signing with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad, but injuries once again held

him back, and he was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring issue. His last attempt at a return was with the Jets,

but unfortunately, he wasn’t able to return to the field at the level he had hoped.

It’s a tough ending for a player who showed so much potential early on. Injuries have a way of cutting careers short,

and Cohen’s slow decline doesn’t fully reflect the impact he had on the Bears and the league. Fans and NFL

supporters alike hope he finds peace in his retirement, free from further injury.

Thank you for all your efforts, Tarik Cohen. Your contributions to the game will not be forgotten.