John Madden Once Said Bears Draft Pick Cole Kmet's Uncle Had "Cankles"

The Chicago Bears selected tight end Cole Kmet with the 43rd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The fact that Kmet is now the 10th tight end on the Bears roster should be the story here, but did you know that John Madden might have invented the term cankles?

While talking about the selection, Trey Wingo mentioned that Kmet's uncle, Jeff Zgonina played in the NFL. He also mentioned that John Madden said he had cankles. Apparently, Madden used the term during a football broadcast in 2002 while describing Zgonina. It was mentioned in the New York Times.

"Also, as Madden looked at the physique of the Rams' Jeff Zgonina, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive tackle, he said, ''Ever see his legs?'' He noted that the area between Zgonina's calves and ankles -- the cankles, he labeled them -- were the biggest he had ever seen. (Madden, a former offensive lineman, has sizable cankles, too.) Summerall added: ''We've got a new one for the books. He's got a 38 cankle.''"

Zgonina is currently an assistant defensive line coach for the Washington Pigskins. Zgonina played for multiple teams between 1993 and 2009.

As for cankles, they were mentioned in Shallow Hal which was released in November 2001. Prior to that, former Colts punter Mike Vanderjagt used it in an interview in September 2000. Somebody get John Madden on the phone.