Kyle Monangai’s thumb injury will not keep the Chicago Bears running back out Sunday at Green Bay, though his 30-carry workload now needs managing, Coach Ben Johnson told reporters on Wednesday, according to Bears beat reporter Chris Emma.
Johnson’s Wednesday update raises the question of how the carries will split between Monangai and D’Andre Swift after a breakthrough game changed the backfield picture.
“The thumb is not an issue, but he did have 30 carries, and he feels like he had 30 carries,” Johnson said, as quoted by ESPN‘s Courtney Cronin. The Bears plan to manage Monangai’s workload this week, according to Emma.
The injury surfaced late in Chicago’s victory. Monangai sat on the bench for the final four minutes and went for a medical evaluation, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He told reporters afterward he would know more Monday.
Johnson struck an optimistic tone that day.
“We think he’s going to be OK,” Johnson said. “We’ll see what it looks like as we go through the week here, but more of a day-to-day type deal,” Johnson added, as quoted by Pro Football Talk. Imaging on the right thumb showed nothing overly concerning, according to RotoWire‘s injury report.
Chicago Bears’ Kyle Monangai Powers Win Over Jets
Chicago beat the New York Jets 23-12 at Soldier Field on Oct. 4 with Tyson Bagent starting in place of Caleb Williams, who sat out with a hamstring injury. Monangai finished with a career-high 30 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns, plus one catch for 4 yards.
Monangai pushed in from 1 yard out on a second effort on fourth-and-goal late in the first quarter, then added a 5-yard run in the third that made it 20-6, according to StatMuse.
Monangai took over after Swift fumbled in the third quarter and did not return. Eighteen of his 30 carries came after the fumble, according to The Athletic‘s game analysis. It was his fourth career 100-yard game and the most carries by a Bears back since David Montgomery’s 32 in 2020. Chicago ran for 232 yards on 54 attempts, according to Sportsnaut.
“He ran hard, yeah, he ran really hard. He found some creases and turned on the gas,” Johnson said, as quoted by A to Z Sports.
“We all know we’re going to run the football. We know it. The other team knows it. You’ve got to come stop us,” Monangai said, according to The Athletic.
| CHICAGO BEARS 2026 SCHEDULE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier Field, Chicago, IL • Record: 3-1 | ||||
| REGULAR SEASON — RESULTS | ||||
| WK | Date | Opponent | Result | W-L |
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | @ Carolina Panthers | W 59-37 | 1-0 |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Minnesota Vikings | L 9-3 | 1-1 |
| 3 | Mon, Sep 28 | vs Philadelphia Eagles | W 27-7 | 2-1 |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | vs New York Jets | W 23-12 | 3-1 |
| REGULAR SEASON — UPCOMING | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WK | Date | Opponent | Time (PT) | TV |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | @ Green Bay Packers | 10:00 AM | Fox |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | @ Atlanta Falcons | 10:00 AM | Fox |
| 7 | Thu, Oct 22 | vs New England Patriots | 5:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 8 | Mon, Nov 2 | @ Seattle Seahawks | 5:15 PM | ESPN |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5:20 PM | NBC |
| 10 | BYE WEEK | |||
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | vs New Orleans Saints | 10:00 AM | Fox |
| 12 | Thu, Nov 26 | @ Detroit Lions | 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | 10:00 AM | Fox |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | @ Miami Dolphins | 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 15 | Sat, Dec 19 | @ Buffalo Bills | 5:20 PM | CBS |
| 16 | Fri, Dec 25 | vs Green Bay Packers | 10:00 AM | Netflix |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | vs Detroit Lions | 1:25 PM | Fox |
| 18 | TBD (Flex Game) | @ Minnesota Vikings | TBD | TBD |
| @ = road game, vs = home game • Week 18 date, time and network to be determined (flex scheduling) • Thanksgiving: Nov. 26 at Detroit • Christmas Day: Dec. 25 vs. Green Bay | ||||
Kyle Monangai’s Career Path With the Chicago Bears
Monangai, pronounced muh-NUNG-eye, was born June 6, 2002, in Roseland, New Jersey, to Cameroonian parents. He spent five seasons at Rutgers from 2020 to 2024.
He started 35 of 52 games for the Scarlet Knights and finished with 3,221 rushing yards, second in program history. He led the Big Ten with 1,262 yards in 2023 for second-team All-Big Ten honors, then ran for 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024 as a first-team pick.
Chicago drafted the 5-foot-8, 207-pound back in the seventh round, 233rd overall, in 2025. As a rookie he ran 169 times for 783 yards and five touchdowns, according to the Bears’ official career profile.
Through four games in 2026, Monangai leads Chicago with 60 carries for 324 yards, three touchdowns and five catches for 39 yards.
He serves as the complementary power back in Johnson’s run-first offense, operating between the tackles until a lead or a fumble makes him the workhorse.
Chicago visits Green Bay on Sunday, with Monangai expected to play and Johnson managing the carries instead of the thumb.
Bears Announce Encouraging Kyle Monangai Injury Update Before Packers Game