Bears pushed out of FG range by incredibly strange penalty

The Chicago Bears took what might end up being the oddest penalty of the season to open their 2022 campaign.

The Bears were lining up for a 47-yard field goal try against the San Francisco 49ers, but they never actually got to attempt the kick due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The nature of the flag was the real story, though. Holder Trenton Gill brought a towel onto the field to try to dry the grass a bit, which is actually illegal.

The Bears really got a unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for wiping down the field with a towel 💀
pic.twitter.com/diIK3om4ng

— PFF (@PFF) September 11, 2022

The Bears got a penalty for trying to dry the field with a towel in order to kick a field goal. pic.twitter.com/Jv2A2na6zk

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) September 11, 2022

You don’t see this ever, really. Few would have even known that this is illegal, but someone on the Chicago sideline probably should have, and prevented Gill from doing that.

The 15-yard penalty took the Bears out of field goal range and forced Gill to punt. They went into the half down 7-0 as a result.