LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WGN) — As the longest tenured Chicago Bear, Cole Kmet is used to the chaos that has come with being a part of the organization since the 2020 NFL season, but that isn’t stopping the former Notre Dame tight end from setting some lofty goals for himself and rookie Colston Loveland.
Kmet has endured four head coaches, six offensive coordinators and a combined 29-55 record heading into what will be his sixth year in the league.
From learning the ropes under Matt Nagy and Bill Lazor, to having to deal with the dysfunction of the Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron administration, it would be easy for Kmet to play the sympathy card, but that’s not how he sees life in the NFL these days.
“It’s easy to go, ‘Woe is me’. But then you also look at it like, unfortunately, this is most of the NFL,” Kmet said Tuesday at Halas Hall. “There are maybe eight organizations out there that have crazy consistency over a 10-year period. That’s just not what we’ve been in. You get used to the chaos a little bit as you’ve been in here and learn to deal with those things. You learn to adapt.
“When you take a step away from a season, sure, it definitely is frustrating when you look at it … You get to playoff time and teams are still playing, and you’re not. You kind of feel those things. You understand it’s part of being in the NFL, [but] I’m optimistic that this will be the last time that we do these crazy changes, at least in my career, hopefully.”
The craziest change Kmet will have to adapt to this season is the addition of Loveland to the tight ends room.
When Chicago spent the No. 10 pick on the long, lanky tight end from the University of Michigan, Kmet had to wonder what his standing was on the roster with new head coach Ben Johnson and his staff.
“I think at first, you’re taken aback a little bit. But Ben was awesome about it in terms of calling me right away, explaining the decision. From there, you’re just all on board and you understand their vision,” Kmet said. “You understand that there’s going to be areas where we complement each other, then there’s obviously—just like any position room—there’s going to be areas where we compete for things.
“That’s football and that’s how it should be. I’m excited about it. I’m excited to not only push him, but then, for him to push me. We’re going to make each other better. I think the goal with it is to become the best 12 [personnel] tandem in the league and see where we can take it from there.”
By this point, Johnson’s affinity for two tight end sets, known in the football world as 12 personnel, is well documented.
According to Sumer Sports, the Detroit Lions lined up in 12 personnel on 32.2% of their offensive plays in 2024 with Johnson as their play-caller, the third-highest rate in the league. Only the Kansas City Chiefs (33.9%) and the Las Vegas Raiders (35.5%) were in 12 personnel more often than the Lions last season.
While the stats point toward plenty of opportunities for both Loveland and Kmet in a Johnson offense, the veteran of the two has already left a positive mark on his new head coach.
“A high intelligence factor is clear from the get-go. He’s a pro. He takes his work seriously. Positive energy, great teammate,” Johnson said of his initial interactions with Kmet. “You could tell, instantly, when he was around the other offense players and the rest of the team, there’s an instant respect level … There’s a lot to be said there. He’s done things the right way for a long time.”
And it’s that time and level of respect that have made him a key cog in helping the Bears’ offensive unit learn a new system.
“It’s been great, not just [Kmet] learning the offense, but helping others in the process, as well,” Johnson said.