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In a live video posted to his 200,000 followers on Instagram, future Aggie Hall of Famer Tarik Cohen expressed his frustrations over the recent North Carolina A&T homecoming loss and the current state of the season.
“We are the laughing stock now. I just wish my coaches were there,” Cohen said.
He joked, “Southern Durham versus A&T—that game might have been close.”
Alongside a few former Aggie players, Cohen reminisced about the Rod Broadway era, during which Broadway amassed a 59-22 (.728) overall and 41-15 (.621) in the MEAC. Broadway was responsible for a third of the Aggies nine MEAC championships and two HBCU national championships in 2015 and 2017. He reflected on their dedication to the program, their commitment to winning, and how they approached losses.
“I see people posting their pictures from the game like they went for 200 yards rushing or two picks or threw for 300. If I lost that game, I wouldn't want to look at pictures from that game, no way. That mentality carried over to the league with me,” Cohen stated.
Cohen made headlines during his sophomore and junior seasons, rushing for a combined 2,883 yards. Before 2016, only Maurice Hicks had rushed for more yards over a two-year span (2,812). He rushed for 295 yards and three touchdowns to lead A&T to a 41-34 win over Alcorn State in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on Dec. 19, 2015. This performance marked the fifth-highest postseason rushing total in NCAA FCS history, and he was named offensive MVP of the game.
A four-time first-team all-conference honoree from 2013 to 2016, Cohen burst onto the scene as Rookie of the Year in 2013 and later won three consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards with the Aggies. He is the MEAC's all-time leader in carries (868) and was the first freshman in school history to surpass 1,000 rushing yards. Over his four seasons at A&T, Cohen rushed for more than 1,000 yards each year and holds school records for rushing touchdowns (56), total touchdowns (59), and total points (339). He was a key player on the 2015 Celebration Bowl champion team.
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“We stayed four years, we built a culture, we got it out of the mud. It’s different now. It ain't all the way done yet; them boys got to want it though,” Cohen continued.
Cohen was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he spent four seasons until 2020. He amassed 4,286 all-purpose yards, 2,676 scrimmage yards, 209 receptions, and 14 touchdowns in 51 games.
In 2018, he recorded eight total touchdowns and 1,169 all-purpose yards, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors as a returner, finishing second in the rankings with an average of 12.5 yards per return.
Due to injuries that hindered his promising career, the 5-foot-6 running back retired this past August.
After the live video concluded, Cohen posted on his Instagram story, stating, “The problem is the disconnect between the foundation and culture that’s there now. It’s a two-way street, though. I’m ready to help out if the help is ready to be received.”
