Former Jets RB Announces Retirement From NFL
It was announced on Thursday that former Jets RB Tarik Cohen finally decided to call it quits, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. This news is somewhat shocking after the impressive display he put forth at Jets training camp.
Cohen, 29, was signed by New York back in May and looked poised to compete for the fourth running back spot. The competition for the spot included names such as Israel Abanikanda and Xazavian Valladay, and Cohen was leading those players fighting for that top spot.
Sources: Former Bears’ RB Tarik Cohen, who was attempting to come back from assorted knee injuries throughout his NFL career, informed the Jets today that he is retiring from football, effectively immediately. At his peak, Cohen was one of the NFL’s most explosive players. pic.twitter.com/RDvVRDU2xg
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2024
Former Jets RB Tarik Cohen Retires From NFL
Cohen had a bright future after becoming an All-Pro for the Chicago Bears in 2018. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career from that point on. He tore his ACL and MCL in Week 3 of the 2020 season, sidelining him for the remainder of 2020 and all of 2021.
The following offseason, Cohen would then tear his Achilles tendon. It is sad to see a player who had such a bright future go down like this.
He was cleared to play in 2023 and signed with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad, though spent most of the season on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury. Cohen would never make an appearance in that one season with Carolina. The Panthers made the tough call to release him after not starting a single game.
With his retirement decision, the path to the top running spots behind Breece Hall is pointing toward both Abanikanda and Valladay. It also increases the likelihood chances of Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley winning the kick return role, clarifying two big position battles with a couple of weeks left in camp.
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