Cole Kmet: first-ever unsportsmanlike conduct flag came at ‘critical moment’Patrick Finleyon January 11, 2021 at 7:19 pm

Cole Kmet saw the flag Sunday, and thought the Bears were going to set up for first-and-goal. The penalty, he assumed, was against the Saints.

Cole Kmet saw the flag Sunday, and thought the Bears were going to set up for first-and-goal. The penalty, he assumed, was against the Saints.

The rookie tight end, then, was stunned when he was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. Rather than having third-and-5 at the Saints’ 8 in the second quarter, the Bears faced third-and-20 at the 23. They eventually kicked a field goal.

The incident started after safety Malcolm Jenkins tackled the Notre Dame alum following a catch. Kmet said the two were “kinda laughing about the play” when he tossed the ball to the official.

Out came the flag. It was Kmet’s first-ever unsportsmanlike conduct flag at any level.

“They told me that I was throwing the ball, I was egregiously at [Jenkins],” he said Monday. “But, I mean, that just wasn’t the case. Later in the game, [Jenkins] even said that they got away with one there. …

“They said I was aggressively, like, tossing the ball. First they said it was at [the official]. Then they said it was at [Jenkins]. So. I don’t know. It was unfortunate. Because that was a critical moment in the game, I think. Early in the game and we have an opportunity to go down after a turnover and put some points on the board. And now we’re in a spot now where we have to fight for field position to kick a field goal. So that was really unfortunate for that to happen in that situation in the game.”

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