Bear Digest

Cole Kmet draws league's third-highest fine of the week

Two Bears were fined for unpenalized plays in the Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, including a big one for their starting tight end.
Gene Chamberlain|
Cole Kmet drew a fine of $17,389 for a leg whip in the game with the Vikings.
Cole Kmet drew a fine of $17,389 for a leg whip in the game with the Vikings. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears tight end Cole Kmet came away with one of the most costly NFL fines from Week 1.

Kmet was fined $17,389 for unnecessary roughness on a leg whip with 9:46 remaining in the game. Only the $23,186 fine given Jakorian Bennett for the Eagles on a hip-drop tackle was higher among the fines levied and announced Saturday by the league, although there was one higher announced earlier in the week.

Kmet was blocking on a D'Andre Swift run when he committed the act that was unpenalized in the game.

Kmet's fine wasn't the only one for the Bears. Starting strongside linebacker Noah Sewell also drew a fine for a hip-drop tackle that went unpenalzed.

Sewell was hit for $6,174 on his third-quarter tackle of running back Jordan Mason with 12:45 remaining.

The fine given Jalen Carter of the Eagles for the so-called "spit-gate" was not among the announced fines by the league on Saturday.

His fine was a week's pay, or $57,222, and his ejection served as a suspension.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.