Welcome to the Monday Night Football edition of "NFL Reds Did What?"
After Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson picked off a pass, his teammate Kyler Gordon had his facemask pulled so hard during the return that it came loose from his helmet.
Naturally, the refs threw a flag on the guy with the facemask hanging on by a thread, not the guy who ripped it off in the first place.
NFL refs penalized Bears DB Kyler Gordon for removing his helmet after his facemask was ripped off
-Penalty on Kyler Gordon for taking helmet off
ā Craven Moorehead (Bears 2025 Super Bowl Champs) (@NosebleedNews) November 28, 2023
-Kyler shows his helmet is broken
-Refs realize helmet is broken
-Refs then throw flag for Taunting on Kyler Gordon
Are we being serious??
pic.twitter.com/PO0XNH7NPD
The refs initially threw a flag on Gordon for removing his helmet in the field of play. However, they clarified later that he was actually flagged for taunting.
Where that taunting occured is anyone's guess. But cameras did capture the moment Gordon had his facemask pulled off his helmet.
John Parry, ESPN ref apologistāI mean officiating analystāon why Kyler Gordon's facemask came off his helmet, which led to Gordon being flagged for taking off his helmet: "Yeah, there may have been something near that sideline that took that mask off."
ā Sloan Piva (@SloanPiva) November 28, 2023
What, John? Like a UFO? šø pic.twitter.com/qJSHYxwfO8
Think that may have been worthy of an illegal hands to the face penalty? NFL refs completely missed it.
The penalty knocked the Bears back 15 yards. Their drive started at the Chicago 48 instead of across midfield. They ultimately went three-and-out.
The Bears' defense came to play in the first half against the Vikings. They forced a three-and-out on Minnesota's first drive. Then Johnson picked off Joshua Dobbs. Even though Chicago's offense didn't do anything with it, they got the ball back in short order as Dobbs rocketed a pass off Jordan Addison's hands and into the arms of Jaquon Brisker.
In total, the Vikings first four drives resulted in two interceptions and two three-and-outs. Johnson nearly had a third pick as well.