Illinois native Cole Kmet grew up rooting for the Chicago Bears, and when the team drafted him in the second round of the 2020 draft, it was a dream come true.
The Bears have yet to have a winning season during Kmet’s tenure, though, and it’s been a rough go in each of his five seasons, including this one. The 4-6 Bears have lost four in a row, most recently falling to the longtime rival Green Bay Packers Week 11. It was the latest in a series of devastating last-second losses the team has suffered over the years (“Double Doink” anyone?) and it was Chicago’s 11th straight loss to the Packers, a team Kmet has yet to beat.
On the November 19 episode of his podcast, “The Eighty Five with Cole Kmet,” the Bears tight end got real about what it felt like losing to Green Bay — again. “That one really hurts for me. Just obviously me being a hometown guy and going against the Packers and not having won that game yet and feeling like we really put it all out there,” Kmet said, also noting he and fellow Illinois native, linebacker T.J. Edwards, shared a moment as players who grew up following the team they now play for.
“I mean, it’s been tough. I was in the weight room the other day — and I don’t think T.J. will mind me saying this — but we were kind of just looking at each other like, gosh, we’ve grown up watching this team and quite frankly, kind of seeing this (expletive) play out at times and now we’re living it.”
More on Cole Kmet’s Comments on Playing for the Bears, Loss to Packers
Kmet also noted on his pod that the loss to Green Bay stung even more because of how well rookie quarterback Caleb Williams played. Williams went 23-31 for 231 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, also rushing for 70 yards in the 20-19 loss.
“We all played a really good game, and to see Caleb do what he did at the end of the game there in the fourth quarter, put us in position and us to not come out ahead — obviously, it’s a tough pill to swallow,” Kmet said. “I know all of our coaches are devastated and players are devastated. It’s a tough one, but you know, something that we got to be able to move on (from).”
Through 10 games this season, Kmet has hauled in 32 passes on 37 targets for 358 yards (11.2 yards per catch) and 3 TDs. The Bears have seven games remaining, and there’s a chance they can turn it around, but it won’t be easy, as they have to play the Packers again, as well as the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Detroit Lions, twice.
Bears’ Coaching Cycle Over Last Decade Has Been Horrific
One huge problem the Bears have had in recent years is a lack of strong leadership. Below is a list of the team’s past four head coaches, including current HC Matt Eberflus:
Marc Trestman (2013–2014): Trestman served as head coach for two seasons, compiling a 13–19 record before being dismissed after the 2014 season.
John Fox (2015–2017): Fox was hired in 2015 and led the team for three seasons, finishing with a 14–34 record.
Matt Nagy (2018–2021): Nagy took over in 2018, achieving a 34–31 record over four seasons, including two playoff appearances, both of which were losses.
Matt Eberflus (2022–Present): Eberflus was appointed head coach in 2022. As of November 20, 2024, he holds a 14–30 overall record.
Kmet played for both Nagy and Eberflus, so he’s experienced his share of highs and lows. The Bears also lost on a Hail Mary to the Washington Commanders this season, so 2024 has already been a rollercoaster. We’ll see if Kmet and compant get to experience any more highs with all the lows.
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