CHICAGO (CBS) — Bears linebacker Roquan Smith was so excited about his first-ever NFL touchdown Sunday that he tossed the ball to a fan and regretted it.
But that fan, Courtney Fong, gave the ball back. In return, Fong got ack back a signed jersey, gloves, and a ball.
The ball has been returned! Thank you @RoquanSmith1 @ChicagoBears for making another memorable moment. Thank you @leilarahimi @AdamHoge and #Twitter for getting the word out. All Love #Bears https://t.co/xI26RdN9tU pic.twitter.com/ERrlCmajWU
— Courtney Fong (@courtfong) September 21, 2021
Meanwhile, there was no excessive celebration on Smith’s touchdown, but taunting has been an area of emphasis for officials this season. There have already been 11 taunting penalties through two weeks, including two in the Bears’ win on Sunday.
It’s all fun and games until it’s 15 yards and a first down.
“Like dude, this is football. We put in all the hours of work. We practice all week; all the offseason conditioning, and we can’t celebrate for 20 seconds?” said Bears offensive lineman Jason Peters.
“It’s different – you’re going against your man, and when you get that victory, you want to celebrate a little bit. But you know, with this new rule, we’ve just got to remember to celebrate with each other; try not to make it too personal,” said Bears defensive tackle Bilal Nichols.