MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Don't even bother asking Kyler Gordon. The Bears cornerback is as confused as everyone else about why he was flagged for taunting after getting his facemask ripped off his helmet during the Bears' 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
After Jaylon Johnson picked off Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs early in the second quarter, Gordon took off trying to block for his fellow cornerback on the return. Gordon drove receiver Brandon Powell out of bounds, and Powell ripped the facemask off his helmet in return.
Gordon was initially flagged for taking off his helmet, but officials reversed the call to taunting as Gordon was showing them that his helmet was in two pieces.
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"Jaylon got a pick, and I was just trying to block for my guy," Gordon said after the win. "I drove him to the benches and just kind of got into it, you know. Obviously, it's not cool getting drove back. He didn't want to fall backward, so he pulled on my facemask because he didn't want to fall on his ass. It is what it is, it's football.
"It's hard to taunt when you're pulling someone's face down. It is what it is. I'm not even tripping, to be honest. They are going to see it."
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said he didn't get an explanation for the call.
Gordon's teammates were baffled by their teammate getting flagged when his helmet was ripped apart.
"How is that a flag?" safety Eddie Jackson said. "Wow. I mean, ya'll know referees is untouchable around here. They untouchable man."
"Man .... I don't know," safety Jaquan Brisker added. "He can't control that. They always look at things. They could have looked at that and took it back. They called two calls. They said he took his helmet off. Then, second, they said taunting. It's like, 'what is that?'"
CHICAGO BEARS
Gordon and the Bears' defense got the last laugh Monday in Minnesota.
The Bears' defense picked off Dobbs four times, including interceptions by Gordon and Brisker.
The second-year safety made sure to do a little light taunting of his own after the interception, hitting the Vikings crowd with its patented "SKOL" clap after the turnover.
"I had to show something for the fans, you know," Brisker said, laughing. "Vikings fans. Had to.
"That was my plan coming into the game. I was going to do that. I like to make people mad so let me SKOL clap for them.”