Cole Kmet
A hometown tight end whose reliable hands and blocking grit have made him a cornerstone of the Chicago Bears' modern offense.
Born 1999 (age 27)·American football player·Birthday: March 10·Generation Z
Biography
Cole Kmet’s path to the NFL felt almost preordained, a local kid from Lake Barrington who grew up cheering for the team he would later anchor. At Notre Dame, he transformed from a two-sport athlete—also pitching for the baseball team—into a complete tight end, a massive target with surprisingly soft hands. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2020, his arrival signaled a shift toward a more traditional, physical offensive identity. His development wasn't meteoric but steady, a reflection of his workmanlike approach. He evolved into quarterback Justin Fields's most trusted safety valve, a player who could move the chains in critical moments and seal the edge in the run game. In a city that values toughness, Kmet’s consistency and blue-collar style have made him not just a starter, but a symbol of the Bears' intended resurgence.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Cole was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cole Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Cole's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Recorded a breakout 2022 season with the Bears, catching 50 passes for 544 yards and a career-high 7 touchdowns.
- Became the first Bears tight end since Mike Ditka in 1964 to catch at least 6 touchdowns in multiple seasons.
- Started all 17 games in the 2023 season, solidifying his role as an indispensable every-down player.
- Finished his Notre Dame career with 43 receptions for 515 yards and 6 touchdowns in his final collegiate season.
Did You Know?
He was a standout baseball pitcher in high school and played for the Notre Dame baseball team as a freshman, recording a 0.90 ERA in limited action.
His father, Frank Kmet, played offensive line at Purdue and had a brief stint with the Arizona Cardinals.
He was a high school teammate of current NFL quarterback Jimmy Clausen's brother, Rick Clausen.
Kmet wears jersey number 85 for the Bears, a number famously worn by Chicago tight end Willie Gault in the 1980s, though Gault was a wide receiver.
“My job is to move the pile and catch the ball in traffic.”
