Tarik Cohen trying on a yarmulke. Photo: YouTube screenshot.

A NFL player recently accepted an invitation from a sports anchor to try Jewish food for the first time and learn about Jewish culture.

Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen is often mistaken for being Jewish because of his last name. He told ChicagoBears.com on Thursday, “When I first got drafted, a lot of people asked me if I was Jewish. It was a cool way to get introduced to their culture.”

Adam Lefkoe, who is Jewish and the co-host of the Bleacher Report program “Simms and Lefkoe: The Show,” said when he discovered that Cohen is not from the same faith, he had to invite him to try Jewish food and learn about the culture. Together with Lefkoe’s co-host, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, they went to a deli in New York City and had Cohen taste bagels with cream cheese and lox, a pastrami sandwich and matzah ball soup.

Cohen enjoyed the matzah ball soup, and afterward Lefkoe tried teaching him some Jewish slang. Lefkoe then presented the athlete with a Chicago Bears yarmulke, which Cohen described as a “Jewish fitted hat.” At the end of their meal a group of men, including Lefkoe and Simms, raised Cohen up and down on a chair, which is popular to do at Jewish celebrations.

Cohen does not know the origin of his last name, has no known Jewish relatives and has never attended a bar mitzvah, though he is interested in going to one, according to ChicagoBears.com. The running back said, “I’ve heard they’re lit, so I’d like to show up at one. I’ve just got to get my Chicago Bears Jewish fitted cap and I’ll be ready to go.”

Watch Tarik Cohen visit a Jewish deli with Adam Lefkoe and Chris Simms in the video below: