The Bears kicker Cairo Santos has expressed his displeasure with the condition of the field at Soldier Field. Still, Santos decided to take responsibility after a peculiar incident on Sunday on the muddy Bears field.
The Bears received a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct while Santos was setting up for a field goal because they used a towel to dry the area of the field where Santos would step. Santos claimed it was his idea to use the towel even though the Bears' punter Trenton Gill was penalized for the offense, even though Santos knew it was against the rules.
Santos spoke to the Daily Herald, "You're allowed to use a towel to dry your hands, and I simply wanted to flatten the place, so I just grabbed his towel and did it myself." It was indeed my fault, but the referee called him.
The Bears were forced out of field goal range by the costly 15-yard penalty, but referee Clay Martin stood by his call after the game.
Martin remarked, "You cannot bring what we consider a foreign object out to change the playing field - this was not a towel that would go on a uniform." We considered that to be an unfair advantage.
Santos struggled in the damp conditions and failed to attempt a field goal once during the game. He also missed two of his three extra-point attempts. He'll have to pray that the Bears don't play in a downpour like that again, and if they do, he'll have to find a different means to dry the field.
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