The Chicago Bears are entering the 2026 campaign knowing what their identity is on offense. Caleb Williams has obviously established himself as a star at quarterback, but he is surrounded by a handful of talented playmakers who can help him move the ball down the field. If everyone can stay healthy, this unit is going to be very dangerous.
On Sunday, the Bears found themselves sitting on pins and needles after running back Kyle Monangai was forced to leave practice early with a knee injury. Monangai is one of Chicago’s top up-and-coming playmakers on offense, so missing him for any period of time would be a big blow. However, it doesn’t seem like the team is all that worried about his injury status for the time being.
Bears Not Concerned After Kyle Monangai Suffers Knee Injury
Not many folks had high expectations for Monangai last year. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Monangai found himself working behind the team’s starting running back, D’Andre Swift. With the front office handing Swift a big-money contract, they were obviously going to give him more snaps than Monangai.
As the year went on, though, Monangai gradually forced his way into the offense. In 17 games (one start), Monangai racked up 783 yards and five touchdowns on 169 carries, good for a healthy 4.6 yards per carry. By the time the season ended, Monangai was nearly splitting carries with Swift.
Entering 2026, Monangai is essentially the 1B to Swift’s 1A, making him a crucial part of the offense. Seeing him leave practice early with a knee injury, though, was quite concerning, especially with Week 1 quickly approaching. Thankfully, the Bears don’t seem too worried about Monangai’s injury status, although they will obviously be running more tests over the next 24 hours.
“Bears RB Kyle Monangai, who left practice today after injuring his knee, is believed to be ‘fine,’ per source,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X. “Initial tests showed his knee to be structurally sound, but the team will do an MRI to confirm.”
Bears Dodge a Bullet With Kyle Monangai Injury
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 19: Kyle Monangai #25 of the Chicago Bears reacts during half time in the game against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field on October 19, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Monangai isn’t out of the woods yet, but at the very least, it seems like he has avoided a serious injury, which is always a positive sign. The Bears are still waiting for an official diagnosis, but regardless of what it ends up being, you can bet that they are going to be extra cautious with the second-year running back over the next few days.
With Monangai likely missing some time, that means Swift will get more work in the immediate future. Roschon Johnson and Brittain Brown are next up on the depth chart, meaning they will have an opportunity to make some noise in their quest to stick around on the roster. For now, things are looking good for Monangai, but it will be worth keeping an eye out for a more concrete update on his status, which should come within the next day or so.
Bears Receive Kyle Monangai Update After Injury Scare