Notre Dame in the NFL: Cole Kmet helps Bears snap losing streak
Former Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet was one of three Bears to catch a pass in Chicago’s 40-20 win over Washington on Thursday night in Landover, Md. He finished with 5 receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown.
The Chicago native and Arlington Heights (Ill.) St. Viator graduate beat his defender on an in route from the slot, and Bears quarterback Justin Fields found him for a 4-yard score. The touchdown gave the Bears breathing room, up 27-3, that proved necessary as the Commanders tried to come back in the second half.
Fields’ favorite target is wide receiver DJ Moore, who caught 8 passes for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns. But Kmet is proving to be a reliable target in Year 4, and he helped the Bears win their first game in 346 days.
Pro Football Focus salary cap analyst and NFL writer Brad Spielberger explained Kmet’s game best.
Here’s how every other former Notre Dame player in the NFL fared in Week 5.
Brandon Aubrey (played for Notre Dame from 2013-16), K, Dallas Cowboys
Result: 42-10 loss to 49ers
Aubrey made his lone field goal, a 50-yarder, staying perfect in his first NFL season.
Aaron Banks (2017-20), OL, San Francisco 49ers
Result: 42-10 win over Cowboys
Banks somehow registered a PFF pass-blocking grade of 1.5, only one week after earning an 85.5 grade in pass protection. He blocked well in the ground game, though, and he remains a starter on the league’s second-best scoring offense (Miami).
Miles Boykin (2015-18), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Result: 17-10 win over Ravens
Boykin played a season-high 12 snaps. He did not catch his lone target.
Chase Claypool (2016-19), WR, Miami Dolphins
Result: 31-16 win over Giants
Claypool was told to stay home again this week, and one day after the Bears’ 40-20 win over the Commanders, he was traded to Miami for a swap of 2025 late-round picks.
Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Detroit Lions
Result: 42-24 win over Panthers
In the Notre Dame Long Snapper Bowl, Daly snapped successfully 8 times (2 punts, 6 kicks).
Liam Eichenberg (2016-20), OL, Miami Dolphins
Result: 31-16 win over Giants
Eichenberg played one offensive snap.
Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, New Orleans Saints
Result: 34-0 win over Patriots
Foskey played a career-high 20 snaps, making 1 tackle.
Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers
Result: BYE
Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints
Result: 34-0 win over Patriots
Grupe made two field goals, both from 50-plus yards out. He set a new career long with a 54-yarder.
Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Result: BYE
Kyle Hamilton (2019-2021), S, Baltimore Ravens
Result: 17-10 loss to Steelers
Hamilton made 3 tackles, two of which were defensive stops (a tackle that results in a failure for the offense). He broke up 1 pass and finished with an 82.4 PFF coverage grade.
Kurt Hinish (2017-21), DT, Houston Texans
Result: 21-19 loss to Falcons
Hinish made 1 tackle.
J.J. Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers
Result: 42-24 loss to Lions
Jansen snapped successfully 7 times, with 4 kicks and 3 punts.
Tony Jones Jr. (2016-19), RB, Arizona Cardinals (practice squad)
Result: N/A (spent Sunday on waivers)
The Saints released Jones on Saturday to make room for an extra offensive lineman. He was claimed by the Cardinals on Monday.
Julian Love (2015-18), DB, Seattle Seahawks
Result: BYE
Zack Martin (2009-13), OL, Dallas Cowboys
Result: 42-10 loss to 49ers
Martin allowed a sack and an additional hit, finishing with a 50.2 PFF pass-blocking grade.
Michael Mayer (2020-22), TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Result: 17-13 win over Packers
Mayer was involved in the Raiders’ offense for the first time this season. He caught 2 passes on 3 targets for 39 yards, all highs in his young career.
Nick McCloud (2020), CB, New York Giants
Result: 31-16 loss to Dolphins
McCloud played a defensive snap for the first time since Week 1.
Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OL, Denver Broncos
Result: 31-21 loss to Jets
McGlinchey allowed 2 sacks and 3 more pressures, finishing with a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 91.2 (that might seem high, but it is not). He earned a 76.3 PFF run-blocking grade, though.
Sam Mustipher (2014-18), OL, Baltimore Ravens
Result: 17-10 loss to Steelers
Mustipher was active as the Ravens’ backup center, but he did not play.
Quenton Nelson (2014-17), OL, Indianapolis Colts
Result: 23-16 win over Titans
Nelson allowed a season-high 3 pressures, including 1 quarterback hit.
Julian Okwara (2016-19), EDGE, Detroit Lions
Result: 42-24 win over Panthers
The younger Okwara made his season debut after being activated off injured reserve, playing 3 snaps.
Romeo Okwara (2012-15), DL, Detroit Lions
Result: 42-24 win over Panthers
The elder Okwara played 40 snaps, 1 quarterback hit and 2 hurries.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2017-20), LB, Cleveland Browns
Result: BYE
Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), OL, Houston Texans
Result: 21-19 loss to Falcons
Patterson was given a season-low 53.7 Pro Football Focus grade, allowing 1 pressure. Notre Dame’s 2022 starting guard has started every game for the Texans at center as a rookie.
Isaac Rochell (2013-16), DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Result: 17-13 win over Packers
Rochell played 12 snaps. He did not make the scoresheet.
Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Los Angeles Rams
Result: 23-14 loss to Eagles
Skowronek did not catch his lone target.
Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Miami Dolphins
Result: 31-16 win over Giants
Smythe was not targeted.
Equanimeous St. Brown (2015-17), WR, Chicago Bears
Result: 40-20 win over Commanders
St. Brown received 1 target, but he did not catch it.
Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens
Result: 17-10 loss to Steelers
Stanley returned from a three-week absence, but he allowed 9 pressures in his first game back. That included 1 sack and an additional QB hit.
Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DL, Las Vegas Raiders
Result: 17-13 win over Packers
Tillery was fined just over $10 thousand for his late hit on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. He made 1 tackle.
Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs
Result: 27-20 win over Vikings
Tranquill made a season-high 9 tackles, including 4 defensive stops.
Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers
Result: 42-24 loss to Lions
Tremble caught 1 pass on 1 target for 1 yard and 1 touchdown.
Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams
Result: 23-14 loss to Eagles
Williams carried 13 times for 53 yards. He also caught both his targets for 4 yards. The former Notre Dame leading rusher has 6 touchdowns this season, but he did not score this week.
Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions
Result: 42-24 win over Panthers
Wright made the statsheet for the first time since Week 1, catching all 3 of his targets for 16 yards.
