New York Jets running back and return specialist Tarik Cohen , 29, has told the team he's ending his comeback attempt and officially retiring from the NFL
Cohen, who hasn't played in the NFL since 2020, was attempting to earn a spot on the Jets 53-man roster after signing with the team in May. He was officially moved to the reserve/retired list on Thursday.
The Jets have grown familiar with sudden retirements during training camp. In August of 2023, veteran receiver Corey Davis surprised the team suddenly announced he was " stepping away from football ."
On Tuesday, Cohen beamed during a press conference, announcing : “I definitely feel all the way back." He cut his weight from 208 pounds to 191 pounds as part of his comeback attempt.
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"I’m just trying to show the Jets the explosiveness that I have, the smartness that I’ve gained from being in the league, and lift as I rise — help all the guys in my position group.”
Yet just a few days later, Cohen decided to inform the team of his retirement, repeating the situation Aaron Rodgers and his Jets offense faced when Davis quit last year.
Cohen was a fourth-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 2017 out of North Carolina A&T. The running back spent his entire four-year NFL career in Chicago.
Cohen was a First-Team All-Pro punt returner in 2018, leading the league with 411 return yards. He also chipped in over 1150 scrimmage yards to help the Bears go 11-5 and snap an eight-year playoff drought.
Many in the Jets facility were hyping up Cohen's recent performances. "T here's some things to clean up and stuff, but he's a hell of a player and he's got really good vision, really good run skills, said special teams coordinator Brant Boyer. "We'll see how it shakes out in the end."
Even head coach Robert Saleh was impressed, saying Cohen "got his juice back." Saleh will now have to sort out his running back and returner depth chart without Cohen.
Cohen was partially brought in to help as a potential solution to the NFL's new kickoff rules. He was in competition with second-year player Xavier Gipson -- of the 2023 NFL week 1 walk-off return against Buffalo - for starting duties.
"The potential, I feel like it's great for returners," Cohen said about the new rules. "If you've got a good return team and great returners setting it up like [Xavier] Gipson and myself and a great scheme as well, I feel like there's a lot of different things you can do with it."
The Jets are mostly settled at running back with Breece Hall and rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. Gipson, currently nursing an injury, is slated to be both the kickoff and punt returner.
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