Getty Former Bears RB and punt returner Tarik Cohen appeared to suffer a setback injury on live video.
Former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen appears to have suffered a serious injury during a workout he streamed on his live Instagram feed on May 17.
Cohen, who was released by the Bears on March 16, hasn’t played since Week 3 of the 2020 NFL regular season, when he went down with a knee injury while fielding a punt against the Atlanta Falcons.
The new injury couldn’t come at a worse time for the former All-Pro punt returner, who revealed in a letter he penned to his younger self that was published by The Players Tribune on May 10 that in addition to a torn ACL and MCL, he also fractured his tibial plateau against the Falcons in 2020.
In that same letter, Cohen also noted he was feeling ready to make a comeback.
“That burst, it’s back. The quick-twitch muscles, they’re back. The ability to cut on a dime? That’s back too. And it feels amazing,” he wrote just one week to the day the video of his apparent new injury made the rounds.
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Bears Twitter Rallies Behind Cohen After Latest Apparent Setback
Details of the injury haven’t been revealed, but analyst Warren Sharp noted on Twitter he heard “Cohen’s Achilles pop,” and Dr. Evan Jeffries tweeted it didn’t look good for Cohen’s right Achilles tendon:
Dr. David Chao thinks the new injury could set Cohen back significantly. “Unfortunately, Cohen’s outlook for a potential return does not look positive,” Chao wrote on May 17. “He’s a shifty running back who has suffered two catastrophic injuries to his right leg. Once confirmed, he will have surgery on his torn Achilles tendon. That recovery will stretch into the offseason ahead of the 2023 season and it would be great news if he could be ready for a potential training camp invite.”
As soon as video of the injury made the rounds on social media, Bears Twitter rallied around the team’s former gadget back and punt returner.
Cohen’s former Bears teammate, retired offensive lineman Kyle Long, voiced his support:
My thoughts and prayers go out to @TarikCohen
As did many analysts who cover the team:
Former #Bears RB Tarik Cohen seems to have suffered a leg injury while training on IG Live.
Here’s hoping it’s not too serious. He’s been through so much, and another major injury would just be devastating.
I’m just gutted for Tarik Cohen. Life isn’t fair.
Myriad Bears fans also voiced their support:
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Cohen Has Suffered Several Tragic Setbacks Over Last Several Years
Cohen recently revealed he had been suffering in silence during much of his Bears tenure.
“No one beyond your inner circle is going to know the full extent of your injuries. Everyone is just going to think it’s a regular ACL tear,” Cohen wrote in the letter to his younger self. “And, like you, they’ve seen Odell (Beckham Jr.) and a bunch of other guys come back from that in less than a year. So people are going to start questioning you on a bunch of different levels. Dudes on Twitter will be calling you’“soft,’ or talking about how maybe you’re just lazy. They’ll have no clue. About anything. Obviously. But it will still hurt.”
Cohen, a fourth-round (119th overall) pick for Chicago out of North Carolina A&T in 2017, has also suffered several tragic personal losses, as he lost his younger brother, Dante, in April 2022 and his twin brother, Tyrell in 2021.
In 51 games and 21 starts for the Bears, Cohen had 264 carries for 1,101 yards, (4.2 yards per carry) and five rushing touchdowns along with 209 receptions for 1,575 yards (7.5 yards per catch) and nine receiving TDs.
The latest injury is another devastating turn of events for Cohen, who turns 27 in June.