Getty Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears catches a pass during training camp.
Cole Kmet is a big dude. Even Jimmy Graham has noted how brawny the rookie tight end out of Notre Dame is. When he spoke to the media in August, it was obvious the veteran Chicago Bears tight end had already developed a fondness for and kinship with Kmet.
“His football intelligence and his ability to soak in these plays and understand his assignments and to understand football and defenses is extremely impressive for a young kid. That’s been the most impressive thing that I can say I notice with him,” Graham said last month, adding: “Also, he’s every bit of 260 [pounds]. He reminds me of a young me. He’s got big legs, and the amount of potential that the kid has and the amount of talent that he has is truly unbelievable.”
Kmet, who is listed as 6’6″ and 262 pounds, has been working out hardcore this offseason, and by the looks of it, even his head coach isn’t ready for all he’s bringing.
Follow the Heavy on Bears Facebook page, where you can weigh in on all the latest Bears-related breaking news, rumors, content and more!
Cole Kmet & Matt Nagy Have Hilarious Interaction
The Bears’ Twitter account shared a video this week of a brief-yet-hilarious moment during practice. After Matt Nagy got done congratulating Kmet on a good play, he gave the tight end a celebratory fist bump. Kmet responded by upping the celebration ante slightly, and he may have bruised his head coach as a result. He followed the fist bump by hitting Nagy a good one across the chest, a hearty, audible smack you could feel just watching the short video. It was a mere tap to Kmet, but it took Nagy by surprise, and was a clear indication of how much power the rookie is packing.
Nagy’s response was swift and hilarious: “Damn, dude, you friggin’ pound on my chest.” You can watch the very brief clip below:
Go easy on Coach, @ColeKmet! 😂
It was a brief and light-hearted moment, but it was one that displayed the young tight end’s exuberance and excitement for the game. Bears fans should be very excited about Cole Kmet for myriad reasons.
Everyone From Coaches to Players is High on Kmet
The Bears selected Kmet with their first pick in the draft this year (43rd overall) and so far, early returns have all been positive.
“He’s gonna be a phenomenal football player,” defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said about Kmet after the rookie gave his defense issues throughout training camp.
“Not to make it sound too grand, but I have zero concerns about Cole Kmet. I really do,” tight ends coach Clancy Barone said about his newest pupil. Nagy, who noted he was impressed with how fast and well Kmet learned his playbook, is also excited.
“When you see that feeling of someone like Cole, you see the personality, the size, the strength, the makeup. How do you not get excited about that? I am, and I’m looking forward to his future,” Nagy said.
It looks like a bright future indeed. Nagy just might want to start wearing padded shirts to practice from now on.
READ NEXT: NFL Analyst & Ex-QB Has Ominous Warming for Bears QB Mitch Trubisky