‘A Moment I’ve Waited For My Entire Life’: Kyle Monangai Bursts Onto the Scene for Bears

The Chicago Bears might have found the running back of the future.

Seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai broke out Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Bengals, running roughshod for 176 yards while averaging 6.8 yards per carry and hauling in three catches for 22 yards from quarterback Caleb Williams, authoring the kind of performance in relief of injured D’Andre Swift that could alter the landscape of the Bears’ backfield.

“This has been a moment I have been waiting for my entire life,” Monangai told Between The Hashmarks on Sunday night. “Need to give major credit to the offensive line, and the coaches for believing in me.”

Sunday might be the moment Monangai has waited for, but it may also be the first moment of his role as a marquee contributor for the Bears’ offense.

Kyle Monangai earns expanded role in Bears’ offense

After all, head coach Ben Johnson leaned heavily on a two-back rotation with the Lions, splitting carries between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery during his time in Detroit. Monangai looked more than capable of carrying his weight in a backfield time share, and then some, in Sunday’s 47-42 thriller over the Bengals.

“That’s kind of who he’s been since he’s been here — very reliable, he’s gonna do what you’re coaching,” Johnson told reporters after the game. “I think he’s hard to bring down and I think that showed up. What he was in Rutgers was the bell cow for that team and he proved today that he can carry that load if called upon.”

The 5-foot-8 and 207-pound former Rutgers standout has rushed for 362 yards with a touchdown, while averaging 5.3 yards per carry, through his first eight games, but if his production on Sunday is a harbinger of what’s to come, the Bears may have found their next game-altering weapon in Williams’ supporting cast.

Bears’ rookies power win over Bengals

Monangai wasn’t the only Bears rookie who shone in Sunday’s victory over Cincinnati.

First-round pick, tight end Colston Loveland had one of the finest performances of his young career, catching six of his seven targets for a career-high 118 yards and two touchdowns.

Loveland quickly became one of Williams’ favorite targets against Cincinnati and made one of the most vital plays of the game, hauling in a 58-yard strike down the seam for the eventual game-winning touchdown.

“I figured it was going to be explosive,” Johnson said, of Loveland’s touchdown. “I wasn’t expecting it to be a touchdown, though. And, I think that was Colston’s speed, just taking off and going for it. So, it was good to see.”

If Monangai’s breakout, and Loveland’s contributions are a harbinger of things to come for the Bears, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson’s first draft class together has the potential to be franchise-altering.

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