Bears Flagged, Taken Out of Field Goal Range for Illegal Use of Towel

This is not how Chicago wanted to start the season.

The Bears and 49ers opened the season in some rainy conditions, and Chicago’s special teams didn’t appear totally prepared for it.

In the first half, the Bears were lining up to kick a field goal when punter Trenton Gill brought out a towel to wipe away any moisture on the spot where he was going to place the football. Unfortunately, that is illegal.

Chicago was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for bringing an illegal object onto the field to assist with a play, which pushed them back five yards and out of field goal range, forcing them to punt the ball away.

The Bears began the game as underdogs vs. San Francisco, and plays like this were certainly not going to help any chance they had at pulling off the upset.

To be fair, though, this is the team’s first game under new head coach Matt Eburflus, so it was reasonable to have some rust to begin the season. 

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