Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet was carted off the field with a right knee injury late in the fourth quarter during the team’s “Thursday Night Football” game against the New England Patriots. The Bears ultimately secured a 30-24 victory, improving their season record to 5-2.
Incident Details
Kmet sustained the injury after making an eight-yard gain from a pass thrown by quarterback Caleb Williams. As he ran up the Bears’ sideline, he was met and tackled by two defenders, immediately grabbing his right knee and remaining on the ground. Teammates and coaches quickly surrounded him before he was eventually taken to the locker room on an injury cart, as reported by Yahoo Sports. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game shortly after, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Fans offered cheers as he was carted into the northwest tunnel, to which Kmet responded with a thumbs up, the Chicago Sun-Times noted.
The play on which Kmet was injured was described as a significant moment for the Bears, who were holding a six-point lead and faced second-and-nine from their own 10-yard line.
Kmet’s Role and Season Performance
Kmet, a second-round pick from Notre Dame in 2020, has played his entire career with the Chicago Bears and is currently their most senior offensive player. In the game against the Patriots, he recorded three catches for 28 yards before his departure.
Prior to this Week 7 fixture, Kmet had seven catches for 59 yards and one touchdown during the current season. Last year, his statistics included 30 catches for 347 yards and two touchdowns. While an official update on his return is awaited, it is considered unlikely that he will recover as quickly as quarterback Caleb Williams did from a hamstring injury earlier in Week 2, according to Yahoo Sports.
Game Outcome and Season Standing
Despite Kmet’s late-game exit, the Chicago Bears managed to hold on for a 30-24 win against the New England Patriots. This victory advanced their season record to 5-2.
