Trip Attempt by Bears Kicker Against Packers Draws No NFL Fine

Bears kicker Cairo Santos made an obvious attempt to trip Packers return man Matthew Golden on the sidelines Sunday but apparently this legwork wasn't as impactful as his field goal kicking normally can be.

Santos drew no fine from the NFL for the attempt in the Bears' 31-7 loss to Green Bay.

Trips can draw a basic first-offense fine of $8,190, but Santos didn't technically make the trip, as Golden avoided it.

Santos earned more than his share of Packer fan criticism on social media for the attempt to stick a foot out and get Golden. Bears-Packers games normally produce their share of chippy play but that one was both comical and unncessary.

Neither player seemed to concerned about the situation and Santos even made comments during the week at Halas Hall to this effect.

However, Santos didn't seem the only player worthy of being fined on the play. Golden took the punt and ran out of bounds, then unnecessarily ran about 25 yards on the Bears sidelines. Players have been fined in the past in the NFL for unnecessarily running through the opponent's bench, or penalized for taunting. Golden then carelessly ran into a Bears assistant coach, knocking him to the ground. This was when Santos stuck his leg out in an attempt at the trip.

Despite what seemed an obvious taunting attempt and the needless crash with a coach, Golden was not fined, either. Taunting fines can draw $11,941 fines for a first offense.

In the overall scheme of things, the fine and conduct by Santos probably did nothing more than generate a few chuckles at Halas Hall, or maybe even some pats on the back, considering the high level of rhetoric being exchanged between the teams both before and after the game. Ben Johnson's provocative comments last year about wanting to beat Packers coach Matt LaFleur twice no doubt added to that atmosphere.

The Bears have been involved in other sideline exchanges in the past that resulted in either a penalty or a fine or both. Tyrique Stevenson was fined over $19,000 for a trip on Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams along the sidelines in 2024, a play in which Williams drew a taunting flag.

The Bears have not managed to avoid fines completely this season.

Tyrique Stevenson was fined $22,342 in Week 2 against the Vikings for unsportsmanlike conduct/using his helmet in a tackle. The other Bears fine for game conduct was $5,620 for unsportsmanlike conduct in Week 1.

In addition, cornerback Jaylon Johnson received $5,971 fine from the NFL against the Eagles for a uniform policy violation, involving wearing an unapproved streamer towel.

The Bears escaped a fine of any type for linebacker D'Marco Jackson when he put a hit on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts at the sidelines just as he stepped out of bounds in Week 3.