During the fourth quarter of the New England Patriots vs Chicago Bears game in Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season, tight end Cole Kmet had to leave the game on a stretcher.
Kmet was having a very good game and after a catch, he got tackled by two Patriots defenders and his knee tweaked very bad. He then has been ruled out due to a knee injury.
This is a big blow as Kmet is one of the most well-regarded players on the Bears locker room. He was also having a key role on the Bears leading this game at the point of his exit.
Cole Kmet stats before the injury
Kmet had three catches for 28 yards. Since last year, he stopped being the best receiver at the tight end position for the Bears. However, he is still used but he’s also heavily featured as a run-blocker, where he excels.
Cole Kmet knee injury #dabears pic.twitter.com/FCSM5LUBUU
— Colin (@ufcolin) October 23, 2026
Usually, knee injuries are ones that sideline the players for months, many times there are season-ending injuries. Given the fact that Kmet had to be stretchered out, the optics aren’t good, though there’s no official diagnostic yet.
Bears updated TE depth chart without Kmet
Kmet was the second tight end on the depth chart behind Colston Loveland. Now, the Bears will have to use another tight ends. Hence, it’s time for them to go deep into the depth chart:
- Colston Loveland
- Sam Roush
- Stephen Carlson (practice squad)
Key takeaways
- Cole Kmet was stretchered off with a knee injury against the New England Patriots.
- Cole Kmet recorded three catches for 28 yards prior to exiting the game.
- Colston Loveland leads the Chicago Bears tight end depth chart following Kmet’s departure.
