Rookie running back Kyle Monangai had a breakout game in his first NFL start Sunday, recording 198 all-purpose yards, including 176 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Learn more about the Bears' seventh-round draft pick as he talks with ChicagoBears.com about his hidden talents, why he wears No. 25, which movies he loves to rewatch and more.
Your career high for rushing yards in college was 208 on 27 carries versus Akron on Sept. 7, 2024. How does Sunday's performance compare to that one?
I like this 176 more than my 208 at Akron. But in both games, I feel like I should've had more.
Why do you like 176 better?
I feel like the moment was bigger. Akron was the second game of the season versus a conference opponent. This was my first NFL start on the road, coming off a loss. I felt like it was a bigger moment for me.
What's your favorite memory from playing at Rutgers?
Winning the Pinstripe Bowl in 2023. It was the first time Rutgers had been to a bowl game in a minute, and the first time we won one in a long time. Also, I got MVP.
What's your hidden talent?
I can remember really long numbers without having to look at them more than two times. I used to have a photographic memory. When I was young, I used to be able to remember, like, 20-digit numbers. You could tell me a number once and I'll spit it back. The exact moment we figured it out as a family was my dad was reading off a Wi-Fi router number, those long numbers. He said it, and then he went to go type it in somewhere and was saying it out loud. I was barely paying attention, but I heard him and I was like, "that's wrong. It's eight, not six," and he was like, "how do you know that?" I just repeated the number back by memory. I think I was 10 years old.
Can you still do that?
Maybe not 20. Maybe, like, eight or 10 numbers. I would say another hidden talent is playing chess. I think both of those are hidden talents. Chess may be more of a hobby or pastime, but I'm pretty decent. One of my childhood friends, him and his dad used to always play chess against each other. I used to go over to his house a lot, so I wanted to learn how to play better, because they used to whoop me. And then eventually, I got good enough to beat them both.
What's your go-to pregame song or artist right now?
It changes every game. This Sunday was Cold Hearted III by Meek Mill.
Who is on your Mount Rushmore of running backs?
Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Marshawn Lynch and LeSean McCoy.
You're from New Jersey. What's the most underrated part about New Jersey?
When it's cold out in the wintertime, you can stay in your car when you pump gas because somebody else will do it for you. I don't know if we're the only state that does that, but we have gas attendants.
Who were your sports idols growing up?
Allen Iverson. I played basketball until freshman year of high school. I broke my foot, and I just focused on football.
Who's your NBA comp?
In my prime, I was like, current SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander).
You went from wearing No. 5 in college to No. 25 in the NFL. Any significance in those numbers?
I've loved the number five my entire life, and funny enough, I didn't get to wear it until college. Number five just shows up in my life a lot of places. Plus, I'm the fifth person in my family. My favorite running back growing up to watch was Reggie Bush at USC. 25 happened because No. 5 is retired here. I picked 25 because I wanted to keep 5 in the number. And my brother wore 25 in high school.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Control what you can control. I've heard it my whole life.
What's your guilty pleasure show or movie?
I don't really have time to watch shows, but I rewatch movies. It depends on the mood I'm in. I rewatch Inception a lot, though. A great movie. Batman: The Dark Knight. Marvel.
Which teammate makes you laugh the most?
There's too many. If I had to pick, probably Jahdae (Walker).
If you were stranded on a deserted island with one teammate, who would you pick?
In terms of who I think I have the best chance of survival with, probably Tyson (Bagent). If it's about who I would just want to accompany me while I wait to die, maybe OZ (Olamide Zaccheaus), because, we'd just make a joke out of it.
You don't think OZ has any survival skills?
Absolutely not. We're done for.
