Tarik Cohen is undoubtedly excited for the Bears’ trip to London this weekend. But coach Matt Nagy may want to keep a close eye on his 24-year-old running back.
Cohen has never been to London. And while walking to practice Wednesday, he was telling Nagy about some of the sights he wanted to see and things he wanted to do.
The two eventually got on the topic of the famous “Changing of the Guard” outside Buckingham Palace.
The Queen’s Guard is a tourist attraction in its own right thanks to members’ iconic large bearskin helmets, crisp red jackets and expressionless faces. It’s become somewhat of a norm for tourists to snap a smiling selfie with the stone-face guards.
Nagy saw the guards several years ago and was fascinated by their ability to stand still throughout their shifts.
“I don’t know how a human being can sit there and do that like they do,” Nagy said Thursday. “That’s crazy, but it’s pretty cool. So, I just sat there like a little kid, just staring. These people don’t even blink.”
Cohen saw this as a challenge and told Nagy he has what it takes to distract the Queen’s Guard.
“I think I can break them,” Cohen said. “That’s something I’m pretty good at. ... I’m funny.”
Cohen didn’t give Nagy or the media any indication on what he would do to make the guards crack, though he did rule out doing a handstand or talking in an accent.
“[I] have to be natural, have to be in the moment,” he said. “Can’t have nothing planned like they’ve probably heard all the jokes in the world so you can’t give them a normal joke.”
A member of the Queen’s Guard can be fined if they’re caught laughing or smiling while on duty.
When a reporter told Cohen about his unsuccessful attempt to crack a member of the Queen’s Guard, Cohen responded: “We’re probably in a different category, I’m funny.”
How funny?
“I’m elite,” he said. “I’m like Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy.”
