For most players, an NFC Wild Card game is strictly business. For Bears tight end Cole Kmet, it’s a family affair. The Windy City tight end will be locking horns against his sister, Frankie Kmet’s boyfriend, Lukas Van Ness, who plays defensive lineman for the Packers. When Kmet was asked by a reporter about who his sister was rooting for, he had quite the response.

“I don’t know, I don’t talk to her during Packer week,” Cole Kmet said. “So I’ll find out after the game… No, no, I’m kidding. Well, she did ask for tickets, and I just sent her the tickets, so I didn’t really respond to anything else besides that.”

Later, the tight end was also asked why she had asked him for tickets instead of her boyfriend. This is when he set aside the jokes and vented his true feelings.

“They wanted the better seats, that’s why,” the TE said. “I had to help my sister out. No, all kidding aside, I usually find that out after the game. Usually, she’s happy to see both of us healthy and all that.”

Cole Kmet’s sister Frankie started dating Van Ness during their time together in college at Iowa. Kmet was already on the Bears when the Packers drafted Van Ness in the first round (No. 13) in 2023. Since then, both Kmet and Van Ness have faced off against each other, with the Packers emerging victorious over the Bears four times in their last six games.

For the Chicago Bears, their first postseason appearance since 2020 has come at an opportune moment. Their upcoming game gives them a chance to improve their record against arch-rivals from the NFC North, Green Bay, in the NFC Wild Card matchup. With this goal in mind, Cole Kmet is charged up as he hopes to bring the glory days back to the Windy City.

Cole Kmet wants to bring back sporting success to Chicago

Growing up in Lake Barrington, Illinois, Cole Kmet developed a passion for the Chicago sports teams, including the Bears. But unlike the other Windy City sporting giants, the Chicago Bears have been among the worst as they are in the middle of a  Super Bowl drought. Their last championship came in 1986, and even now, they’ve only confirmed their second playoff ticket in the last half-decade.

But this season is different. The last time the Bears managed over 10 wins in the regular season was in 2018. This time, with an 11-6 record, Cole Kmet wants to play his part in bringing back the winning glory to Chicago.

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“I feel like that with Chicago sports in general. Always felt like that with the Cubs, obviously in Chicago with the Bears, it’s kind of felt like that recently with the Bulls,” Kmet said, per Chris Emma of 670 The Score. “I think Chicago is just a city deeply rooted in history, which is awesome. It’s what makes it such a special place. But that being said, we want to build our own history here. We have a chance to do that on Saturday.”

Kmet is surely excited for this matchup, and the Chicago fans will hope that their star tight end can pour this passion and energy onto the field to help the Bears make a deep postseason run and possibly push for the Lombardi Trophy. All eyes now turn to Chicago, where the Bears will host the Green Bay Packers under the lights at Soldier Field. The NFC Wild Card clash kicks off at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, January 10, a prime-time stage where rivalry, family ties, and playoff stakes collide in the heart of the Windy City.