Yes, it’s a small world after all

Cohen enjoying the ride, but after Fantasyland, ‘you snap back to reality’

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tarik Cohen looked around for a moment and then pointed. “Where’s the camera at?” the Bears running back said. “Mitch, I’m coming for your job. Mitch, I’m coming.” Standing in front of a giant sticky dartboard, Cohen then showed off his passing accuracy to an NFL Pro Bowl social media audience — and Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky. After landing several footballs near the bull’s-eye, he finally hit the center of the target, skipping away and swinging one arm to punctuate the accomplishment. “Let’s gooooo,” he yelled. “I was a QB in my past life. I’m going to go stand right here to make sure you know this is my ball.” Cohen is the type who can add fun to any party, and his first Pro Bowl appearance Sunday should be no exception. He was selected to come to Orlando as the NFC’s return specialist; the running back slots were filled by the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott and the Saints’ Alvin Kamara. But Bears fans who have watched Cohen emerge over the last two years from being an unproven fourth-round draft pick know there’s much more to him than that. Cohen’s turn as an NFL all-star comes after a season in which he racked up 444 rushing yards and three touchdowns, 725 receiving yards and five touchdowns and 411 punt-return yards. He was Matt Nagy’s most versatile weapon, even using the aforementioned arm to throw a tying touchdown pass late in regulation against the Giants. But when asked how the season met his expectations, Cohen didn’t point to any of his statistics. He talked about the fun he had playing under Nagy. “We just love him and love the tenacity he brought in,” Cohen said. “We fed off of him and got rolling. He got me the ball in the places I like getting the ball. I’m looking forward to doing more of that next year.” While 2018 will go down as a good season for Cohen, there is one lingering sting — his usage in the first-round playoff loss to the Eagles. He had one carry for no gain and three catches on five targets for 27 yards. He also returned a late kickoff 35 yards. Cohen called it “frustrating” because he wanted to do more with his touches, and Nagy said last week he wished he could have gotten Cohen the ball more. “If you think that I don’t want to get Tarik Cohen the ball, then we need to re-evaluate where we’re at because I don’t think you know me too well,” Nagy said. “Could I go back and wish he had more touches? Absolutely. But I can’t.” The Bears, who have seven Pro Bowlers in Orlando this week, were left with a lot of questions after that early playoff exit, and Cohen said it won’t be hard to refocus on what needs to be done in 2019 after a week in the spotlight. “When this week is over, you snap back to reality,” he said. “A nice reminder is that there’s going to be a game played after this week (Super Bowl LIII). When that game comes, we’re going to be reminded we’re not in that one.” But first they’re going to let loose in a different kind of game Sunday. Cohen spent some time hanging back in the open field during specialteams drills at practice Thursday, doing a few dance moves and spinning the football on the indoor carpet as he waited for his moment. But he also lined up at running back and ran some receiver routes in case the NFC coaches from the Cowboys want to showcase his full skill set. A Bears mic’d-up segment from practice showed him running into teammate Akiem Hicks and telling him, “Sorry, big man,” and pretending to crossover dribble the football while running toward teammate Eddie Jackson. He takes pride in the fact he has this opportunity just two years into his career — and that he’s doing it with two other players from his Bears draft class, Trubisky and Jackson. “It’s significant,” Cohen said. “To have an impact on the team in the NFL as quickly as we did, that just goes to show when you want something and put your mind to it, you can achieve it. “I embrace the people who didn’t overlook me. I love the Chicago Bears. They gave me a shot, and I’m just repaying them for drafting me.”