Chicago Bears news: St. Viator High School cheering on alum Cole Kmet as Bears continue playoff run, face Los Angeles Rams
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) — Chicago Bears fans are finding several ways to cheer on the team ahead of their playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
That includes a group of teachers in the northwest suburbs, hoping to breakout a special dance in honor of a Bears star.
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The Bears’ success this season has been a lot of fun for fans all around the Chicago area, but especially at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, which has some strong connections with the Bears.
They may be getting ahead of themselves, but a group of teachers and staff at St. Viator have been rehearsing their version of the Super Bowl Shuffle.
They are big Bears fans here. In fact, some taught Bears tight end Cole Kmet when he was a student there. Mike Manno was his baseball coach.
“I’ve always said this about Cole. He’s an even better human being than he is an athlete, and he’s one of the best athletes out there,” Manno said. “He just embodies everything we believe in at St. Viator.”
St. Viator has a lot of connections to the Bears. Former Bears kicker Robbie Gould is the football coach, and Walter Payton’s son Jarrett also played there.
Cole Kmet was on the homecoming court during his time there. A few years later, he was a second-round NFL Draft choice in 2020 from Notre Dame. He has been a mainstay at tight end ever since.
Kmet played football and baseball when he was at St. Viator. In fact, they won the baseball state championship in 2017. Cole was a pitcher. His close friend Cori Korab was a teammate.
“It’s almost unbelievable he was walking through these halls with me, now the big stage in the NFL,” Korab said.
Kmet brings his baseball past to the football field after every touchdown with a celebratory home run swing.
The current student-athletes at his alma mater are watching and cheering him on.
“It’s a great connection,” St. Viator Football player Peter Lafleur said. “As a bears fan it makes me feel closer. It’s really cool knowing I’m wearing the same stuff Cole did.”
Kmet will be back there in late February. He and his baseball teammates are being inducted into the St. Viator athletic hall of fame.
“I definitely look up to Cole, not only as a great athlete, but definitely a human being,” St. Viator Baseball player Jonny Tschanz said.
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