Long-time Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet out for the year with knee injury

The Chicago Bears came out of Thursday Night Football with a win. They also took a hit.

Tight end Cole Kmet left the game late with a knee injury. On Friday, Bears coach Ben Johnson had an update on Kmet's status and long-term outlook.

What they're saying:

Kmet will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury suffered against the Patriots.

Johnson updated the media with his regular media availability following a game. This leaves the Bears with Colston Loveland and Sam Roush on their active roster; they also have tight ends Stephen Carlson and Qadir Ismail on their practice squad.

The injury will end Kmet's season.

"We're going ahead to put him on IR later today," Johnson said. "He's one of my favorites."

Big picture view:

On a second-and-nine play with 5:46 left in the game, Williams threw a short pass to Kmet to the right. Kmet gained eight yards before Robert Spillane and another Patriot teamed up to tackle him to the ground.

Kmet immediately grabbed his right knee. He was carted off shortly after that.

"It was tough," Williams said. "Obviously getting 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."

Kmet is a big part of the Bears' offense.

Johnson routinely uses 12 personnel, which is a formation that uses two tight ends and two wide receivers. Kmet is the Y tight end in these sets, where he'll be utilized as an in-line blocker who can also run routes in the passing game. Colston Loveland is the Bears' U tight end, who functions primarily as a receiving threat who can also block.

Johnson utilized this in Detroit with Brock Wright as the Y tight end and Sam LaPorta as the U tight end. In Chicago, Kmet was recognized as one of the better Y tight ends in the league who did plenty of dirty work in the run- and pass-blocking game.

With the injury to Kmet, the Bears will be without one of their most important players to the function of their offense. The Bears will also be down one of their offensive leaders that's been with the team since he was drafted out of Notre Dame in 2020.

"He's the longest tenured Bear," Williams said. "He's been through it. And it's challenging. He's tough. And I'll be with him. I'll be right there with him through every step of whatever the injury is. Cole's been there for me every step of the way. Through the first year, the second year and now through this year. So, I can only do the same for him."