Bears Face Potential Loss of Tight End Cole Kmet

The Bears are preparing for the possibility of being without veteran tight end Cole Kmet for an extended period. This comes after he was carted off the field during the fourth quarter on Thursday night due to a right knee injury.

Following the Bears’ 30-24 victory over the Patriots, coach Ben Johnson remarked, “I don’t think it looked very good,” although he mentioned that the team would have more clarity on Friday after further tests.

Kmet’s injury hits hard, especially for star quarterback Caleb Williams, who expressed his concern.

“It was tough,” Williams said. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but being carted off is never a good sign. It suggests he will be sidelined for a while. I can’t even put into words what Cole means to me and to this team. He’s the longest-tenured Bear, I believe.”

Williams continued, “He’s seen a lot and it’s challenging. I’ll be with him through every step of the recovery process. Cole has been there for me from my first year to now. I just want to repay that support.”

The injury occurred with around 5:40 left in the game, as Kmet caught a pass and attempted to advance toward the first-down marker. Two defenders from the Patriots converged on him, and one seemed to clip his right leg, prompting him to immediately grab his knee after being tackled.

While being carted off, he did manage to give a thumbs up, but was soon ruled out for the rest of the game.

Kmet recorded three receptions for 28 yards before his exit.

This season, the seven-year tight end had transitioned from being a starter to a more complementary role after the Bears drafted Colston Loveland in the first round last year.

He has accumulated just 10 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown this season, though he had been on the field for 62.2 percent of the offensive snaps.

“I love that guy,” Loveland commented. “We’re definitely going to miss him. I’m keeping him in my prayers.”