Jets' Tarik Cohen is slimmed down and feeling good about his comeback

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – A friend texted Tarik Cohen a photo of himself in a pool a couple of years ago. He was disgusted by what he saw.

“I let myself get fat,” Cohen recalled after Jets practice Tuesday. “I had rolls on the side. I was in a pool and my friend took a picture. He sent me the picture. I almost threw my phone at the wall.”

The 5-6 Cohen made his mark in the NFL with his speed, explosiveness and ability to break a long run from the backfield or as a returner. He was an All-Pro returner and made the Pro Bowl for the Bears in 2018.

Injuries derailed his career, though. Cohen hasn’t played an NFL game since 2020. He admitted he let himself go. He gained 20 pounds after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2022.

Cohen has lost most of the extra weight and is trying to make a comeback with the Jets. He has an opportunity with new kickoff rules that could lead to some big returns. Cohen said he feels “all the way back.” It would mean a lot to him if he completes his comeback and makes the Jets' roster.

“I’m just like, Man, I was fat, now I’m running routes out here,” Cohen said. “It’s just a blessing.”

Cohen tore his ACL in 2020 and missed the next season. Chicago released him in 2022. Wanting to show teams he could still play, Cohen livestreamed a workout on Instagram. He said it was the first time he ran and changed directions since his ACL injury. Shortly into the livestream, his Achilles popped.

“I felt so stupid for making that video,” Cohen said.

He started eating. Cohen went from 188 to 207, 208 pretty quickly.

“What wasn’t I eating?” Cohen said. “Five Guys. I don’t want to shout out too many corporations without getting paid for it. I was eating everything.”

Then he saw the photo and that changed everything. Cohen joined a boxing gym and had a sauna built in his house. He changed his diet. He only eats steak and eggs now.

“I try to eat like a cheetah or lion,” he said. “They only eat to survive. That’s what I try to do now."

After losing weight, Cohen started running again. When he regained the ability to cut and change direction, he told his agent he wanted to return to the NFL.

“I really turned it on without the intention of coming back to the NFL,” Cohen said. “I started grinding and my body started feeling way better and I started making that decision to come back to the NFL.”

Cohen was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad last year. He never got elevated. Cohen tweaked his hamstring in Week 5 and went on practice squad injured reserve. Cohen was cut in May and signed with the Jets three weeks later. He’s happy to report he weighs about 191 pounds now and appreciates being in an NFL training camp again.

“You just think about the difference, what you would be doing or what I was doing on this day?” Cohen said. “The iPhone has all the memories popping up. You just see what you were doing. I was at home fat.”

Cohen has been one of the players returning kickoffs and punts in practice. He’s gotten some running back reps, taking handoffs or catching passes. Cohen still has some burst and shiftiness.

Robert Saleh said Cohen “got his juice back,” and that he looks comfortable fielding kickoffs and punts. Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer has been impressed as well.

“I think he's doing a nice job,” Boyer said. “There'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… We’ll see how it all shakes out."

Offense struggles again

The starting offense wasn’t sharp for the second-straight day and Aaron Rodgers looked frustrated again. Rodgers completed 10 of 19 passes and was just 2-for-7 in the final move-the-ball period. Center Joe Tippmann delivered some more high snaps to Rodgers. Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said “nope” when asked if he’s concerned about Tippmann’s high snaps this camp.

“He’s working through it,” said Hackett.

Jets add TE Firkser

The Jets signed tight end Anthony Firkser and released fullback Nick Bawden. Firkser has caught 115 passes for 1,207 yards and five touchdowns in six seasons with the Titans, Falcons and Lions

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.