Bears GM Ryan Poles shares update after unfortunate Cole Kmet news

Cole Kmet suffered a serious knee injury during the Chicago Bears’ Week 7 win over the New England Patriots. General manager Ryan Poles shared an update about the veteran tight end on Saturday

Kmet was solid for Chicago before he got hurt. He appeared in all seven games, recording 10 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown. The 27-year-old received a lot of praise from his coaches and teammates for being the consummate professional, leading by example on and off the field.

He will be out for the season after undergoing tests last Friday. Kmet couldn’t put any weight on his right knee and has since been placed on injured reserve. Colston Loveland and Sam Roush will take on bigger roles in light of Kmet’s absence.

Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears — Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.

Ryan Poles provides news on Bears TE Cole Kmet’s injury

Poles talked about how much they’ll miss Kmet on and off the field. The GM also highlighted the trust he has on the Bears’ medical team, which will help the tight end throughout his recovery.

“It’s a big loss for us,” Poles said. “Not just on the field, but also off the field and what he meant to us. He’s such a stable, dependable, both as a player and a human being. He means a lot to us. So it is a big loss. Our focus now is what I told Kyle, his agent. The same process I was talking about to make a decision like this, our return to play process and what we surround our guys with to get them back to their original form and being confident as a football player. I feel like it’s elite.

“And we’re going to continue to do that. We’re going to surround Cole and put him in a position where it’s going to be a long journey for sure. But when he comes back, he’s going to be the best version of himself as he can. And we have some unbelievable people here and resources that are going to help him do that. So we’re going to surround him and make sure he has everything he needs to get back to what he was.”

Ryan Poles on Cole Kmet’s Injury Update:

“I got off the phone with his agent, it’s a big loss on and off the field. He means a lot to us. Our recovery process is elite and we’re going to continue to surround Cole and put him through a journey where he’s going to come back and be the best version of himself that he can be.”

Get well Soon Cole!

— Bears on Real (@BearsOnReal) October 31, 2026

Loveland has proven what he’s capable of and will be relied upon more starting in Week 8. The Bears will face the Seattle Seahawks on Monday at Lumen Field looking to make it three straight wins. Some of their fans will likely travel to see them play, but Kmet will also cheer for his teammates at home.