Chicago Bears running back had 18 million reasons to smile late Saturday when he got word that the team had agreed to a contract extension.
The deal which reportedly includes nine million dollars guaranteed is one of two contracts the Bears are working on. The other is for star wide receiver Allen Robinson II.
I feel the contract extension was very well deserved. For me the timing was crazy. It was eleven fifty-something at night. Right before a game. So that was the crazy part. As far as this year right now, contract extensions are based on what they think you are going to do in the future and what you have done for the team in the past.
-Tarik Cohen
Loyalty played a big part in Cohen’s decision. “The Bears offered me a good deal and the history I have with the team and just the family-like bond that In feel with not only the players, but the ownership and the coaches. I felt like it was only right for me to stay here. They gave me my first shot. I feel like I’m always loyal to the people that are loyal to me. For example, going to college, I went to an HBCU, a small school. When I had my first success there, my sophomore year, a lot of people were like ‘You should transfer out to a bigger school’ For me it was why would I transfer out? The bigger schools weren’t looking at me when I was coming out of high school. I should stay with my ‘family’.
Cohen knows the team made their decision to re- sign him based on his past and future. “They know I had a bad year last year,” he said, “and they saw the way I approached the off-season, putting last year behind me, and just trying to be a better me, and fit better into the offense, and become that weapon that they see me as.”
Teammate Darnell Mooney, a rookie took notice. “Every time somebody gets an extension, I’ll give it a like or a retweet. I love to see guys getting paid. Eventually I’ll be there. It doesn’t matter who it is. I love when people get paid.”
Cohen also takes a great deal of pride in his ability to stay off the injured list. I take a lot of pride in that. I only think about it when somebody brings it up that I played in every game. It’s like the same thing I did in college. I missed one game in college. I like being on that field. I take care of my body, hitting the weight room during the season. Giving one hundred percent.
Read our profile story on Tarik from 2019
A lot of players would leave all the negotiating to their agent. Not Tarik. “I don’t know how it got out to the media. Those things are crazy. I’m very hands on. I like to pay attention to what’s going on in my life. It wouldn’t make sense for me not to be hands on and to keep track of what’s going on in my contract.
