Cole Kmet Has 'Serious' Knee Injury, Latest Rumors on Timeline to Return to Bears

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet is believed to have suffered a season-ending knee injury in Thursday's 30-24 win over the New England Patriots.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Kmet suffered a "serious" injury that is "likely" to end his 2026 season.

Rapoport noted nothing is official yet with Kmet still undergoing testing to determine the full extent of the damage.

The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter when Kmet caught a pass near the sideline, turned up field and was tackled by Christian Gonzalez and Robert Spillane.

Kmet immediately grabbed at his knee after hitting the ground. He was taken off the field on a cart.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson didn't have an official update on Kmet's status when asked after the game, though he noted it seemed bad.

"We'll know more about it tomorrow, but I don't think it looked very good," Johnson said.

Kmet finished the game with 28 yards on three receptions. He appeared in each of Chicago's first seven games this season, recording 87 yards and one touchdown on 10 catches.

A seven-year veteran, Kmet has spent his entire NFL career with the Bears. The 27-year-old ranks second among all tight ends in franchise history in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns.

The Bears still have Colston Loveland as their No. 1 tight end, but Johnson has liked using multiple tight-end formations that get Kmet on the field. He played at least 55 percent of the offensive snaps in six of the first seven games this season.

If Kmet is out for an extended period of time, Sam Roush will likely step into the role as the No. 2 tight end. Roush is a rookie third-round draft pick who has played 114 snaps so far this season.

The Bears have won two straight games and moved into sole possession of second place in the NFC North with their victory over New England.