The Chicago Bears had a huge 30-24 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, but they suffered a massive loss with tight end Cole Kmet suffering a serious knee injury in the fourth quarter.
It was initially reported by Ian Rapoport that Kmet had suffered a serious knee injury and would likely miss the remainder of the season. On Friday afternoon, head coach Ben Johnson confirmed that Kmet suffered a serious knee injury and would be placed on injured reserve, effectively ending his 2026 season.
"He's one of my favorites for a number of reasons," Johnson said. "I've got so much respect for the player he is…he's everything we want to be about here…he's going to be sorely missed."
Kmet has been an unsung hero for this Bears offense. While he hasn't been a featured weapon in the passing game, he's been doing the dirty work as a blocker and has been key in their 12- and 13-personnel packages. Outside of his on-field production, Kmet has been a leader in the locker room, and his presence will be greatly missed.
Johnson named Stephen Carlson and Qadir Ismail as options to replace Kmet on the roster alongside Colston Loveland and rookie Sam Roush. It's worth noting that undrafted rookie Hayden Large, who started the season on the active roster, is not an option right now as he remains on injured reserve. But, when healthy, he would likely be a top option.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson sounds off on Bears TE Cole Kmet's season-ending injury