Coby Bryant to Miss 4-6 Months With Knee Injury, Bears Announce

Coby Bryant suffers injury

Bears safety Coby Bryant undergoes surgery, out until December. Xavier Woods likely to start. 

Chicago bears' Coby Bryant suffers serious knee injury in practice...

The Chicago Bears delivered tough news Tuesday on safety Coby Bryant’s knee. The former Seahawks defensive back is facing a long stint on the sidelines.

Head coach Ben Johnson said Bryant had surgery last Friday and is expected to be out 4 to 6 months. He’s unlikely to play in the regular season, but the Bears are targeting a playoff return. If recovery goes well, the 27-year-old could be back as early as mid-December.

At first, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Bryant might only miss 8-10 weeks, with a possible return in Week 3. But the updated diagnosis proved far more serious.

According to Johnson, the longer timeline was “what I’ve been told all along.”

  

Bryant went down on August 3 during a 1-on-1 drill with Cole Kmet. He landed awkwardly on his left knee and grabbed it immediately. He tried to walk off under his own power, but the Bears staff eventually carted him off the field.

Johnson also addressed how big a blow Bryant’s injury is for the Bears’ defense.

“Coby is the template for how we all want our team to play. He was a big part of - offense, defense and special teams - the mentality, the mindset, the approach. We loved everything about it.”

Bears S Coby Bryant will miss 4-6 months after undergoing knee surgery. pic.twitter.com/IpVW7l4u6Z

— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2026

The Cleveland native signed a three-year, $40 million contract this offseason and was penciled in as Chicago’s starting safety alongside rookie Dillon Thieneman. With Bryant now sidelined, the Bears will likely turn to veteran Xavier Woods, who was brought in earlier this month, to take his spot.