{{Short description|American football player (born 2002)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Kyle Monangai | image = File:Kyle Monangai.jpg | alt = | caption = Monangai with Rutgers in 2023 | current_team = Chicago Bears | number = 25 | position = Running back | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|6|6}} | birth_place = Roseland, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 8 | weight_lb = 207 | high_school = Don Bosco Prep {{nowrap|(Ramsey, New Jersey)}} | college = Rutgers (2020–2024) | draftyear = 2025 | draftround = 7 | draftpick = 233 | pastteams = * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * First-team All-Big Ten (2024) * Second-team All-Big Ten (2023) | statseason = 2025 | statweek = | statlabel1 = Rushing yards | statvalue1 = 783 | statlabel2 = Rushing average | statvalue2 = 4.6 | statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns | statvalue3 = 5 | statlabel4 = Receptions | statvalue4 = 18 | statlabel5 = Receiving yards | statvalue5 = 164 | statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue6 = | pfr = MonaKy00 }}
'''Kyle Monangai''' (/ˌməˈnʌŋˌgaɪ/ born June 6, 2002) is an American professional football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and was selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.
==Early life== Born and raised in Roseland, New Jersey to Cameroonian parents, Monangai attended Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey.<ref>[https://scarletknights.com/sports/football/roster/kyle-monangai/12796 Kyle Monangai], Rutgers Scarlet Knights football. Accessed December 12, 2023. "Hometown: Roseland, N.J. High School: Don Bosco Prep"</ref> As a senior, he had over 900 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns, and 400 receiving yards with five touchdowns. He committed to Rutgers University to play college football.<ref>{{cite web | last=Fonseca | first=Brian | title=Don Bosco RB Kyle Monangai, close friend of Jalen Berger, commits to Rutgers, Greg Schiano | website=NJ.com| date=2019-12-18 | url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2019/12/don-bosco-rb-kyle-monangai-close-friend-of-jalen-berger-commits-to-rutgers-greg-schiano.html | access-date=2025-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Mattura | first=Greg | title=Rutgers football recruiting: Don Bosco RB Kyle Monangai commits | website=Bergen Record | date=December 18, 2019 | url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2019/12/17/rutgers-football-recruiting-don-bosco-rb-kyle-monangai-commits/2676849001/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z1172xxe1172xxv000043&gca-ft=156&gca-ds=sophi&gnt-djm=1 | access-date=April 19, 2026}}</ref>
==College career== Monangai played in five games his first year with the Scarlet Knights in 2020 and did not have a carry. He played in 11 games in 2021 and had 236 yards on 62 carries with four touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgers/2022/04/kyle-monangais-recruitment-took-a-180-at-rutgers-now-he-hopes-to-spin-a-breakout-season.html|title=Kyle Monangai's recruitment took a 180 at Rutgers. Now, he hopes to spin a breakout season|date=16 April 2022 |publisher=NJ.com}}</ref> As a sophomore in 2022, he started 11 of 12 games and recorded 445 yards on 109 carries with two touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.app.com/story/sports/college/rutgers/2023/11/09/rutgers-football-kyle-monangais-rise-to-top-of-big-ten/71503232007/|title=How Rutgers football's Kyle Monangai went from under the radar to among Big Ten's best|publisher=Asbury Park Press}}</ref> Monangai returned as a starter in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/rutgers-kyle-monangai-unexpected-big-ten-conference-rushing-leader/|title=Rutgers' Kyle Monangai unexpected Big Ten Conference rushing leader|publisher=The Gazette}}</ref> He became the first Rutgers running back since Jawan Jamison in 2012 to rush for 1,000 yards, finishing the season with 1,262 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns en route to second-team All Big-Ten honors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.app.com/story/sports/college/rutgers/2023/11/25/rutgers-football-kyle-monangai-1st-1000-yard-rusher-since-2012/71703370007/|title=Rutgers football: Kyle Monangai 1st 1000-yard rusher since 2012|publisher=Asbury Park Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2023/11/was-this-kyle-monangais-final-game-at-rutgers-rb-to-weigh-nfl-future-bowl-participation.html|title=Has Rutgers' Kyle Monangai played his final game? RB weighs NFL future, bowl participation|date=26 November 2023 |publisher=NJ.com}} </ref>
=== Statistics === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Team ! colspan="2" |Games ! colspan="4" |Rushing ! colspan="4" |Receiving |- !GP !GS !Att !Yards !Avg !TD !Rec !Yards !Avg !TD |- ! 2020 !! Rutgers |5 |0 |0 |0 | - |0 |0 |0 | - |0 |- ! 2021 !! Rutgers |11 |0 |62 |236 |3.8 |4 |10 |68 |6.8 |0 |- ! 2022 !! Rutgers |12 |11 |109 |445 |4.1 |2 |6 |31 |5.2 |0 |- ! 2023 !! Rutgers |'''13''' |'''13''' |242 |1,262 |'''5.2''' |8 |8 |'''78''' |'''9.8''' |0 |- ! 2024 !! Rutgers |11 |11 |'''256''' |'''1,279''' |5.0 |'''13''' |'''14''' |75 |5.4 |'''1''' |- !colspan="2"|[https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/kyle-monangai-1.html Career] !52 !35 !669 !3,222 !4.8 !27 !38 !252 !6.6 !1 |}
==Professional career== [[File:Commanders vs. Bears (54858972615).jpg|thumb|Monangai running the ball against the Washington Commanders, 2025]] {{NFL predraft | height ft = 5 | height in = 8 1/4 | weight = 211 | dash = 4.60 | ten split = 1.54 | twenty split = 2.70 | shuttle = 4.40 | vertical = 34.5 | broad ft = 9 | broad in = 9 | arm span = 28 3/4 | hand span = 9 | wingspan ft = 6 | wingspan in = 0 | note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/kyle-monangai/32004d4f-4e11-6385-d542-4b47928ce72b |title=Kyle Monangai Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1041502&DraftYear=2025 |title=Kyle Monangai College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}</ref> }}
Monangai was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 233rd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2025 |title=Chicago Bears select RB Kyle Monangai in seventh round of 2025 NFL Draft |url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/chicago-bears-2025-nfl-draft-rutgers-running-back-kyle-monangai-seventh-round |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=ChicagoBears.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
He began his rookie season as the backup halfback behind D'Andre Swift, seeing limited action on situational offensive plays.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mangam|first=Matthew|url=https://www.dailytargum.com/article/how-did-rutgers-football-star-kyle-monangai-perform-in-nfl-debut-20250909|title=How did Rutgers football star Kyle Monangai perform in NFL debut?|newspaper=The Daily Targum|date=September 8, 2025|access-date=November 2, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/bears-kyle-monangai-light-role-behind-swift-in-opener/|title=Bears' Kyle Monangai: Light role behind Swift in opener|agency=RotoWire|website=CBSSports.com|publisher=CBS Sports|date=September 9, 2025|access-date=November 2, 2025}}</ref> In Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints, he scored his first touchdown on a one-yard run.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/kyle-monangai-s-first-nfl-td-boosts-bears-lead-to-19-0-vs-saints|title=Kyle Monangai's first NFL TD boosts Bears' lead to 19-0 vs. Saints|publisher=National Football League|access-date=November 2, 2025}}</ref> When Swift missed Week 9 due to injury, Monangai became the starter and recorded 26 carries for 176 yards along with three catches for 22 yards as the Bears beat the Cincinnati Bengals; his rushing yards were the second most in a game by a Bears rookie behind Anthony Thomas in 2001, while the 198 total yards were the fifth highest for a rookie in team history.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bair|first=Scott|url=https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/chicago-bears-kyle-monangai-walter-payton-cincinnati-bengals-week-9-record-dandre-swift/|title=Kyle Monangai matches Walter Payton, enters Bears record books in Week 9 win|publisher=Marquee Sports Network|date=November 2, 2025|access-date=November 2, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Finley|first=Patrick|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2025/11/02/bears-bengals-running-back-kyle-monangai-shines-first-start-seventh-round-rookie-nfl|title=Bears seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai shines in first start|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=November 2, 2025|access-date=November 2, 2025}}</ref> Monangai and Swift began to split carries following the latter's recovery.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sullivan|first=Matt|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/chicago-bears/news/dandre-swift-kyle-monangai-fantasy-bears-backfield-week-13/65e432a10273a3378bb98fa0|title=D'Andre Swift or Kyle Monangai: Fantasy outlook for Bears split backfield in Week 13|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=November 28, 2025|access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref> In a Week 13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, the duo combined for 255 rushing yards as Monangai had 130 yards and a touchdown. They became the first running back teammates to each record at least 100 rushing yards in a game since Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard for the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, and the first Bears duo since Walter Payton and Matt Suhey in 1985.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Phil|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/chicago-bears-dandre-swift-kyle-monangai/|title=Chicago Bears' D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai 'electric' in 1st dual 100-yard performances since 1985|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=November 28, 2025|access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Hajduk|first=Gabby|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/we-go-as-far-as-they-go-kyle-monangai-d-andre-swift-credit-offensive-line-pass-catchers-for-dominant-rushing-performance|title='We go as far as they go': Kyle Monangai, D'Andre Swift credit offensive line, pass catchers for dominant rushing performance|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=November 28, 2025|access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.chicagobears.com/team/players-roster/kyle-monangai/ Chicago Bears bio] *[https://scarletknights.com/sports/football/roster/kyle-monangai/12796 Rutgers Scarlet Knights bio]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Monangai, Kyle}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Essex County, New Jersey Category:American football running backs Category:American people of Cameroonian descent Category:Don Bosco Preparatory High School alumni Category:People from Roseland, New Jersey Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football players Category:Seton Hall Preparatory School alumni Category:Chicago Bears players Category:21st-century American sportsmen