The Chicago Bears may be without running back Kyle Monangai for their season opener.
Monangai went down with a right knee injury in practice on Sunday, and will now miss several weeks with a hyperextended knee, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. A specific timeline there is not yet known.
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While the outcome of the MRI is apparently being considered positive, it absolutely puts Monangai at risk of missing their regular season opener.
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Monangai got tangled up with Bears defensive tackle Gardy Jarrett near the sideline near the end of a run in practice on Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. The practice, taking place just a day after the team’s 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns, was being held in just shorts and shells.
It was described as a “freak incident,” and Monangai ended up slowly walking into the team’s practice facility after a few minutes on the ground.
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The Bears selected Monangai in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Rutgers. He had 783 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie while shining alongside starter D’Andre Swift. Together the two led the Bears to the third-best rushing offense in the league last season, putting up 144.5 rushing yards per game, behind only the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. The Bears went 11-6 last season and won the NFC North before going on their deepest postseason run since the 2010 campaign.
The Bears will open the season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13, which is just under a month out. If Monangai’s recovery is delayed at all over the next four weeks, the Bears may enter the regular season without their solidified second option in the backfield.
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