Bears tight end Cole Kmet is adding wedding planning to his busy preseason schedule.
The former second-round pick announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Emily Jarosz on Monday, just days before veterans report for training camp.
Kmet shared the happy news on Instagram, captioning his post with a ring emoji. The post featured a stunning oval-cut engagement ring prominently displayed in one photo, while another showed Kmet beaming alongside his bride-to-be.
Kmet’s sister Frankie, who is dating second-year Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness, also celebrated the engagement on social media. “After 22 years, I am finally getting a sister and it’s the best one I could ask for,” Frankie posted on her Instagram page.
Kmet, 25, and Jarosz have been together for years, as evidenced by Instagram posts of the couple dating back to 2017, when he played at Notre Dame. He played for the Fighting Irish for three seasons before the Bears selected him with the 43rd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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Coming off an impressive season in Chicago, Kmet recorded career-highs in receptions (73) and receiving yards (719) through 17 appearances. His strong performance earned him a four-year, $50 million contract extension before the start of the 2023 season.
The Bears, who finished last season with a 7-10 record, are entering a new era at quarterback with the arrival of prized rookie Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Williams now steps in under center following the March trade of quarterback Justin Fields to the Steelers.
Kmet has been impressed with Williams during offseason reps. “He’s really just a normal dude,” Kmet said in June on SiriusXM NFL radio, according to Pro Football Talk. “Really good kid. Ultra-competitive and you can see why he’s been so successful thus far in his football career and why he has those types of intangibles to succeed in the NFL. I’m really excited for him. He’s been putting in a lot of work and you can see the progress he was making throughout the OTA period.”
Rookies, including the newly signed Williams, reported to training camp on Tuesday, while Kmet will join them on Friday with the rest of the veterans. The Bears are set to host the Titans in Week 1 of the regular season, and Kmet will undoubtedly be balancing his professional commitments with his exciting new personal chapter.
