The Tarik Cohen return has hit a hitch as the former North Carolina A&T running back has been put on injured reserve by the Carolina Panthers.
The NC A&T legend and former Chicago Bears running back/return man was signed by the team as a member of the practice squad in September. The 28-year-old reportedly experienced a ‘setback’ last week, according to Panthers.com. He will be out for at least four weeks.
Cohen hasn’t played in the NFL since 2020 when he tore his ACL.
Cohen was a star at Bunn High School then found his way to North Carolina A&T where he went from an unheralded recruit to become the top rusher in school and MEAC history, second all-time among HBCU football stars. He helped shine a light on talent in a pre-Deion Sanders world with his combination of social media exploits and on-the-field dominance.
Cohen was picked in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and quickly became one of the most versatile backs in the league. He made the Pro Bowl as a return man during the 2018 season and signed an extension with Chicago just before he suffered the ACL injury.
The Carolina Panthers have signed Spencer Brown to the practice squad in place of Tarik Cohen.