The Chicago Bears got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for using a towel to clean up before a field goal

• The Chicago Bears took a 15-yard penalty for using a towel.
• On a rainy Sunday, the Bears special teams unit attempted to clear the spot where they were set to attempt a field goal.

Soldier Field was an absolute mess on Sunday as the Chicago Bears hosted the San Francisco 49ers in their season opener.

As a monstrous downpour descended on the stadium, things looked miserable for players as they tried to warm up for the big game.

Things only got messier when the game finally kicked off, with both teams plodding their way up and down the field with minimal success.

But the funniest play of the game came when someone finally tried to clean up.

Just before halftime, the Bears sent out the field goal unit to try to get some points on the board.

Before setting up for the snap, holder and rookie punter Trenton Gill used a towel to attempt to wipe down a bit of the area that he was set to put down his hold.

This was apparently illegal, because as the ball was snapped, referees threw a flag.

According to Bears reporter Sean Hammond, the rule appears to be interpreted as an extension of the rules barring towels from being used to clear snow from the field.

Hilariously, the 15-yard penalty knocked the Bears out of field goal range, forcing Chicago to punt the ball away just before halftime.

Thankfully for Chicago fans, the Bears went on to finish the game by scoring 19 unanswered points en route to a 19-10 victory.

And while the downpour had previously forced an unwanted penalty out of the Bears, after the game, it provided quite the stage for one heck of a celebration.

Let this be a lesson to special teams units around the league — no matter what the weather is, leave the towels in your waistband.