Cole Kmet’s biggest night of the season for the Chicago Bears ended the worst way possible.
The former Notre Dame tight end had started to find his footing Thursday against the Patriots, but with 5:46 left in the fourth quarter, everything changed. Kmet hauled in an 8-yard pass from Caleb Williams and took a heavy shot while moving along the Bears sideline. On the play, he ran into Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and linebacker Robert Spillane, then reached for his knee after hitting the ground.
He was able to get to his feet with help from trainers, but he could not put any weight on his right leg. Kmet gave the Soldier Field crowd a thumbs-up before being carted to the locker room, and the Bears ruled him out for the rest of the game soon after. The early read from the team after the game was bleak.
"I don't think it looked very good," Head coach Ben Johnson said during his postgame press conference.
Williams, who knows the sting of being carted off firsthand after suffering a hamstring injury on September 20, sounded shaken by what he saw. Thursday marked his second game back from that injury, and he said Kmet’s exit hit hard.
"It was tough," Williams said. "I don't know exactly what it is and all of that, but obviously being carted off is never good. You're at least going to miss some time.
He also made clear how much Kmet means inside the Bears’ building.
“I don't have the words to describe what Cole is to me, what Cole is to this team, this organization. He's the longest-tenured Bear, I believe.
And so he's been through it, and it's challenging, it's tough and I'll be with him. I'll be right there with him through every step of whatever the injury is.
And Cole's been there for me every step of the way through the first year, the second year and now through this year. I could only do the same for him."
Kmet arrived in Chicago as a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He had long been the Bears’ go-to tight end, though that role had been trimmed some this season by fellow tight end Colston Loveland. Still, he entered Thursday with only 7 catches, and before the injury he had already put together 3 receptions for 28 yards against the England Patriots.
In Other News...
Notre Dame's Biggest Offensive Debate Is Back After The BYU Loss
Notre Dame left Provo with the same familiar problem hanging over its offense: moving the ball has not been the issue nearly as much as finishing drives. The loss to BYU put the red zone debate right back at the center of the conversation, with the Irish again looking too limited once the field shrinks and every call matters a little more.
Mike Denbrock has options to work with, but the current approach has not made enough use of the tight ends or the back of the end zone, two areas that should help an offense built to create matchup problems. With conference play and bigger moments ahead, the pressure now is on Notre Dame to show schematic answers instead of more of the same. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Faces A Playoff Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The playoff picture is already starting to sort itself out, and Notre Dame is right in the middle of the discussion whether the Irish like it or not. With conference champions, at-large contenders and a string of pivotal games still to come, every result around the sport carries extra weight this time of year, especially for a team whose margin for error can disappear quickly when the selection committee starts comparing rsums.
Notre Dames path is tied to more than just its own record, because the broader race includes teams such as Miami and Georgia, plus injuries and head-to-head outcomes that can reshape the board in a hurry. The Irish can control only so much of the equation, and the real pressure now is making sure the games ahead do not leave them relying on help from somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has A Pass Rush Problem It Can't Ignore
Notre Dames defense has hit a stretch where the pass rush has become impossible to overlook. After letting North Carolina and BYU put up more points than the Irish would like, the conversation around the unit has turned to whether the front is affecting enough plays or simply chasing them. Defensive coordinator Chris Ash has taken heat for leaning on more passive looks, especially at a time when the Irish could use a little more chaos from the second level.
Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young have flashed the kind of pressure production that should matter, but it has not translated consistently into recent games. That leaves Notre Dame with a familiar tension on defense: the talent is there in spots, but the scheme has not fully weaponized it. Until the Irish find a way to generate more disruption without waiting for it to happen naturally, every opponent is going to keep testing that edge. [Read more 🡒]