Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai was as good as it gets against the Eagles in Week 13.
The seventh-rounder rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries (5.9 YPC). Monangai’s big afternoon marked his second 100-plus yard rushing performance this season, and brought his season totals to 591 yards and five touchdowns.
As I wrote in Tuesday’s Good, Better, Best, Monangai’s surge in usage in the middle portion of the schedule has allowed him to stack up favorably with the rest of the running backs in his rookie class. But where exactly does he stack up, and how does that compare to previous Bears rookie running back performances?
Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) carries the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesHow good has Kyle Monangai been?
Monangai’s 591 yards rank fourth in the league among rookies behind Quishon Judkins, Ashton Jeanty, and TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins and Jeanty are the feature backs in Cleveland and Las Vegas, with Judkins having 196 carries this season and Jeanty 181 compared to Monangai’s 129. His 4.9 yards per attempt lead all rookies.
It’s important to remember that Monangai is 1) a platoon back and 2) has only been a factor in Ben Johnson’s offense for the last six games. During his first six games, Monangai only saw 35 touches (roughly six per contest).
Judkins had 109 carries during his first six games, and Jeanty had 105. On 67 fewer carries this season, Monangai trails Judkins by 167 yards for the league-best rushing mark among rookies and trails Ashton Jeanty, the first running back taken in the draft, by only 44 yards on 52 fewer carries.
In short, really good.
Nov 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) rushes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn ImagesHow does that stack up against previous Bears rookie running backs?
The Chicago Bears have had some memorable rookie seasons by running backs in the past. Jordan Howard’s 2016 season stands as the best in terms of yardage. Howard rushed for 1,313 yards on 252 carries (5.2) and six touchdowns in 2016.
Matt Forte ran for 1,238 yards on 316 carries (3.9) in 2008, and scored eight touchdowns while racking up another 477 yards through the air and four touchdowns. It’s going to be tough to top Forte’s rookie campaign, where he totaled 1,715 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns on 316 carries and 63 receptions.
Anthony Thomas (1,183; 2001), Rashaan Salaam (1,074; 1995), and Beattie Feathers (1,004; 1934) are the other three running backs to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground in their rookie campaigns.
That mark isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for a career trajectory, since Gale Sayers and Walter Payton both missed the 1,000-yard mark in their rookie seasons, but it’s still a fun barometer right now.
Here’s where Monangai currently ranks among the best rookie running back seasons:
Rushing Yards (591): 12th Rushing Touchdowns (5): 12th Rushing YPG (49.3): 13th Rushing YPC (4.9): 12thIf Monangai continues his current pace, he would finish the season with 838 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, which would rank eighth and sixth, respectively.
Not too shabby for a seventh-rounder who totaled 35 carries in his first six games of the season and has only gone over 20 carries twice in 12 games.
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) and quarterback Caleb Williams (18) celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn ImagesHence then, the article about how good has kyle monangai been this season was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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