Panthers News: Thomas Brown, Jaycee Horn, Tarik Cohen and Brian Burns
By Dean Jones
Tarik Cohen's personal Carolina Panthers connection
Nobody is expecting Tarik Cohen to set the world alight immediately. He hasn't played a competitive regular season down since 2019 thanks to some disastrous luck on the injury front, but the Carolina Panthers are willing to be patient in the hope that the dynamic offensive weapon can assist as the campaign progresses.
The connections between Cohen and the Panthers are obvious. He hails from the area and went to North Carolina AT&T, with special teams coordinator Chris Tabor also working closely with the player during their prolific spell together on the Chicago Bears.
When asked about Cohen joining the ranks, Tabor couldn't hide the personal emotion he felt towards the player. He also admitted feeling a sense of guilt regarding his recent career trajectory via USA Today Sports.
"He means a lot to me. He’s such a . . . we know he’s a good player—but more importantly, he’s a great person. And he’s been through a lot. He sustained his injury on a punt return down in Atlanta. So I always, selfishly, felt responsible for that. And I was just so happy just to watch him work out and see him run and move around and that’s just kinda part of the deal."
- Chris Tabor via USA Today Sports
Whether Cohen offers something or not, he deserves a shot at proving himself all over again. And if he gets back to anything like the force of old, the running back instantly becomes one of the team's most explosive individuals.