The Chicago Bears secured a 30-24 home win over the New England Patriots, but the victory came with a significant injury concern. Tight end Cole Kmet suffered a right knee injury and missed the latter part of the fourth quarter. The severity became more apparent when he was carted off the field, and the Bears have now received some concerning news.
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According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Kmet is believed to have suffered a serious knee injury that could potentially end his season. He is undergoing further testing Friday morning, with the results expected to determine whether the tight end will be able to return during the 2026 season.
The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter with over 5 minutes remaining in regulation. Chicago was protecting a 27-21 lead when Cole Kmet caught an eight-yard pass from quarterback Caleb Williams on second down. The Bears were backed up near their own goal line, making the completion important for moving them away from their end zone.
However, as Kmet caught the ball and ran up the sideline, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and linebacker Robert Spillane converged on him. The defenders made contact around his legs as they brought him down. Kmet immediately grabbed his right knee.
He eventually got to his feet with assistance from trainers, but he could not put weight on his right leg. Ultimately, he was carted off the field to the locker room. He gave the Soldier Field crowd a thumbs-up as he departed and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
“I don’t think it looked very good,” head coach Ben Johnson said.
Kmet caught all three of his targets for 28 yards before leaving the field. Across seven games this season, the tight end has recorded 10 receptions for 87 yards and one touchdown. After the game, Williams addressed the injury and sounded concerned about his teammate.
“It was tough,” said Williams. “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. 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.
“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.”
A former second-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft, Cole Kmet has remained healthy for most of his career. However, as the Bears await the results of his testing, the 2026 season could mark the first time in his NFL career that the 27-year-old tight end misses multiple games due to an injury. For now, it remains to be seen whether he will miss the rest of the season or the Bears will place him on injured reserve.