The Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 30-24 on Thursday night, but they may have lost one of their most dependable players in the process. Tight end Cole Kmet was carted off in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury and was quickly ruled out. Rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad also left with a toe injury, and Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore was slow to get up after a late sack.
- Bears: TE Cole Kmet (knee) carted off in the fourth quarter and ruled out; Ben Johnson said the team will know more on Friday
- Bears: CB Malik Muhammad (toe) left in the second half and was listed as doubtful to return
- Bears: RB D’Andre Swift took a hard hit to the knee in the first half but returned to the game
- Patriots: DT Christian Barmore stayed down after sacking Caleb Williams late in the game, then walked off on his own
- Patriots: CB Christian Gonzalez played through an illness and RT Morgan Moses also played after both were listed as questionable
Cole Kmet carted off at Soldier Field
Kmet went down holding his right leg and knee after a play in the fourth quarter, with Chicago ahead 27-21. Brad Biggs noted that he did not appear to be putting any weight on the right leg as the cart came out. Teammates gathered around him before he was driven off, and Kmet gave the crowd a thumbs up as he left the field.
Minutes later the Bears announced that Kmet would not return.
After the game, Ben Johnson did not have a diagnosis. He said the Bears would know more about the severity on Friday, but he did not sound hopeful. “I don’t think it looked very good,” Johnson said.
Kmet has been one of the most durable players on the roster since Chicago drafted him in the second round in 2020, and he is a key part of Johnson’s plans in formations that use two or three tight ends. If he misses time, Colston Loveland would become the top tight end, with Sam Roush behind him.
Malik Muhammad doubtful with a toe injury
The Bears’ secondary also took a hit in the second half. Muhammad, a rookie who has been playing outside cornerback, went into the sideline medical tent twice and tried some running on the sideline before the team listed him as doubtful to return with a toe injury. Tyrique Stevenson took his place opposite Jaylon Johnson, who had come back out with the starters at the start of the third quarter.
Running back D’Andre Swift gave the Bears a scare earlier. He was hit hard on the knee after catching a pass in the flat and limped off, but he did not go into the medical tent and was back in the game shortly afterward. That mattered more than usual, with backup Kyle Monangai inactive because of an injury.
Christian Barmore shaken up late
For New England, Barmore stayed down after he dragged down Caleb Williams for a sack in the final two minutes. He got up and walked off under his own power, Doug Kyed noted, and went to the bench rather than the medical tent.
Who sat out
Both teams were short-handed before kickoff. The Patriots were without guard Ben Brown (knee) and cornerbacks Carlton Davis III (neck), Karon Prunty (hamstring) and Channing Canada (hamstring), on top of left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, who went on injured reserve earlier in the day. Defensive tackle Joshua Farmer was a healthy scratch and Behren Morton was the emergency third quarterback. Gonzalez had been added to the report as questionable with an illness that came on after the team arrived, but he played, and so did Moses.
Chicago’s inactives were running back Kyle Monangai, linebackers T.J. Edwards and Jack Sanborn, offensive lineman Jordan McFadden, defensive tackle Jayden Loving, cornerback Nick McCloud and emergency third quarterback Case Keenum.
Left tackle Will Campbell said after the game that he was praying for Vera-Tucker. “I know he’ll be back and be ready to go. He’s playing his butt off all year, and it sucks that it happened,” Campbell said.
What comes next
The Bears improved to 5-2 and the Patriots fell to 4-3. Chicago expects more information on Kmet and Muhammad on Friday, after further tests. New England plays at the Miami Dolphins next, with Barmore’s status the first thing to watch when its practice week begins.
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