Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai went down with a hyperextended right knee in practice, and it looks like he’ll miss several weeks, potentially sidelining him for the regular season opener. That’s a huge blow, especially with no specific timeline known yet. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler broke the news, even though the MRI outcome is being called “positive” somehow. How can a positive MRI mean a guy’s out for weeks? It’s enough to make you rip your hair out!
A Practice Mishap Could Cost Them
The whole thing sounds like such a gut punch. According to Brad Biggs from the Chicago Tribune, Monangai got tangled up with Bears defensive tackle Gardy Jarrett near the sideline at the end of a run. This was in a practice described as a “freak incident” and it happened the day after their 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns. They were only in shorts and shells! Monangai eventually walked off slowly into the facility after being on the ground for a few minutes. You never want to see a key player go down in such a casual session, especially when they’re so close to the real games starting up.
Monangai’s Massive Rookie Impact
This injury is a problem because Monangai isn’t just some backup. The Bears snagged him in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Rutgers, and he absolutely shined as a rookie alongside D’Andre Swift. The guy put up 783 yards and five touchdowns last season! Together, that duo helped lead the Bears to the third-best rushing offense in the entire league, clocking in at 144.5 rushing yards per game, only behind the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. Don’t forget, the Bears went 11-6 last season, won the NFC North, and had their deepest postseason run since 2010. Monangai was a huge part of that engine.
The Bears kick off their season against the Carolina Panthers on September 13th. That’s less than a month away. If Monangai’s recovery even remotely slows down over the next four weeks, the Bears could be heading into Week 1 without their solidified second option in the backfield. That’s a tough spot to be in when you’re trying to build on last year’s success. Talk about starting the season with some major question marks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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