Cole Kmet rips Bears for lack of respect for the game of football in Week 8 loss

As the Chicago Bears (4-3) look to put the pieces back together after their loss to the Washington Commanders (6-2) on a last-second Hail Mary play, there are comments coming from everywhere regarding the team. Some of those comments are coming from players on the team, most are coming from fans and media, but no one may have had a more reality check statement than tight end Cole Kmet.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Kmet made a very concerning comment on the team's focus when defending the Hail Mary, saying that it now serves as an example for how they can learn to respect the game of football. Not only does it serve as a moment to respect the game, but Kmet also said it should serve as an opportunity for the team to learn how to respect practice, as well.

"I think it's a really good lesson for everyone to learn from in terms of how to respect the game," Kmet said. "I think we had examples of that throughout the game and quite frankly throughout the week of practice this past week. There are moments where maybe some guys lay off here and there, those are the types of things that can happen when you do that for just a split-second. It doesn't always come to bite you in the butt but when it does, it hurts. That's the unfortunate and I would also say beauty of this game, if you disrespect it in a certain way and it'll come to haunt you in some form or fashion."

The full quote from Kmet is not just about the mental lapse of cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, but the Bears team as a whole, and that's an incredibly concerning evaluation of the team. It's easy to point out the lapse from Stevenson and how it cost the team, but if this lack of respect is happening in practice, it calls for a look at the coaching staff for not fixing it before they step on the field to play the meaningful games.

Everyone is at fault for the Bears' loss, but when a matter of respecting the game of football both on the field when it matters and on the practice field is called into question, there has to be consequences. Whether it is changes in the lineups, changes to the coaching staff, or both.

Two weeks ago, the Bears were the talk of the town riding a three-game winning streak and Caleb Williams growing in his rookie year. Now, just two weeks later, they're the laughing stock of the league. If there is a call into question of their respect of the game, then there are certainly much bigger questions that must be answered immediately.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Cole Kmet rips Bears for lack of respect for the game of football