Kyle Monangai emerges as Bears' short-yardage weapon with TD vs. Vikings

With his third touchdown in five weeks, rookie Kyle Monangai gave the Bears an early lead vs. the Vikings in Week 11

Kyle Monangai | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Better late than never, the Chicago Bears have found - and are starting to use - their short-yardage sledgehammer.

After a slow start his rookie season, the 7th-round rookie is emerging as a real weapon in Ben Johnson's offense. Monangai got the ball on a Bears' second-quarter and promptly put an exclamation point on it with two rugged drives.

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On 3rd-and-4 he banged up the middle to the Minnesota Vikings' 1-yard line, then punched it in on the next play to give the Bears a 7-3 lead. He capped an impressive 15-play, 74-yard drive that ate up 8:26 on the clock.

.@kylemonangai hits the gap for 6 🙌

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/5IRdOvSWER

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 16, 2025

While D'Andre Swift remains the Bears' starter, Monangai is earning Johnson's trust. He carried 26 times two weeks ago when Swift was out with an injury, and now has three touchdowns in the last five weeks.

MORE: The No. 1 reason Chicago Bears will upset Minnesota Vikings in Week 11

The Bears pushed their lead to 10-3 when Kevin Byard intercepted Vikings' quarterback J.J. McCarthy to set up Cairo Santos' 38-yard field goal. Chicago intercepted McCarthy twice in the first half to push their league-leading total to 15.

Kyle Monangai | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

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