Chicago's longest-tenured player was carted off during Thursday's 30-24 win over the Patriots.
Cole Kmet's 2026 season is over. Coach Ben Johnson confirmed Friday that the Bears tight end will miss the rest of the year with what the team is calling a serious right knee injury, suffered in the fourth quarter of Chicago's 30-24 win over New England on Thursday night.
Kmet couldn't put weight on the leg and had to be carted off the field. He finished the night with three catches for 28 yards. For the season, he had 10 catches, 87 yards and one touchdown, numbers that undersell what he means to this team.
Kmet is a Lake Barrington, Illinois native and the longest-tenured player on the Bears roster. He has missed just one game across seven seasons, appearing in 107 of a possible 108 before Thursday's injury ended that streak.
Johnson did not hide his disappointment. "He's everything we want to be about here," the coach said. "He's going to be sorely missed. He's Chicago. He's been here his whole life. He's a big part of our heartbeat. It stinks. It does. I hate it for him."
The Bears will now have to adjust their offense without one of their most established and dependable players for the remainder of the season.