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Bears' Cole Kmet Likely Out for Season After Knee Injury
· Confirmed
In Short: The early read is grim, with sources saying Kmet is believed to have suffered a serious, likely season-ending knee injury.
According to multiple reports, Kmet's injury is believed to be a season-ending knee injury, specifically a torn ACL, as he was hit by two Patriots defenders while attempting to gain a first down.
Kmet had caught three passes for 28 yards against the Patriots before his injury.
The Bears won the game 30-24, but the loss of Kmet is a significant blow to the team.
Kmet has been a key player for the Bears, logging the eighth-highest snap count on offense this season at 62.19%.
He is also the longest-tenured Bear and has been a crucial part of the team's offensive strategy.
Coach Ben Johnson expressed his concern over Kmet's injury, stating that the team is bracing for bad news and that Kmet's absence will be a massive loss.
Kmet arrived in Chicago as the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Notre Dame.
He has caught 10 passes for 87 yards and one touchdown this season.
If Kmet is indeed out for the season, rookie Sam Roush is expected to see more action in the Bears' offense.
The Bears have also made several roster moves, including elevating linebacker Buddy Johnson and running back Zavier Scott from the practice squad.
They have also signed running back D'Andre Swift to a three-year extension through 2029.
The Bears are set to undergo testing on Kmet's injury, and until those results come back, there is no finality.
What this adds
The Bears' loss of Kmet is a significant blow to their offense, as he has been a key player for the team this season.
Background
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet will miss the rest of the 2026 season after suffering a serious knee injury.
What's confirmed
- He's believed to have suffered a serious, likely season-ending knee injury and will be placed on injured reserve, according to ESPN.
- The Chicago Bears earned a 30-24 victory over the New England Patriots, but they also lost a notable player on offense, as tight end Cole Kmet was carted off the field in the fourth quarter after suffering a knee injury.
- "It was tough. Obviously, I don't know exactly what it is, but getting carted off is never good. You're at least going to miss some time. I don't have the words to describe what Cole is to me, what Cole is to this team, to this organization. He's the longest-tenured Bear, I believe," Williams said.
What's still developing
- New England, catching seven of them for 69 yards and a touchdown.
- The Chicago Bears have placed defensive back Coby Bryant and tight end Hayden Large on Reserve/Injured, signed defensive lineman James Lynch and linebacker Jack Sanborn to the active roster and signed 14 players to the practice squad.
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- He has logged the eighth-highest snap count on offense (62.19%) this season and joined Hall of Famer Mike Ditka on Thursday as just the second tight end in franchise history to top 3,000 career receiving yards after he caught three passes for 28 yards.
- He left on a medical cart with a right knee injury that is believed to be season-ending, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.
- Kmet “tears his right knee ACL at the 15-yard line before contact,” Chao wrote Friday morning on his social media channels.
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- Even in a reduced role, Kmet has played 62% of the offense's snaps this season.
- Kmet had caught a pass on second down from quarterback Caleb Williams and was moving toward the first-down marker when he was hit by two Patriots defenders.
- Kmet immediately began grabbing his knee on the sideline, and was tended to by trainers for the Bears.
- He’ll continue to rank below DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland in terms of target share, but Burden is a player that Johnson can design plays for and get him the ball in space. [MORE: Why rookie Luther Burden III deserves more targets in Bears’ offense ] Burden has said he’ll never forget his perceived draft slight and it will motivate him his entire career.