Cowboys' Bryant 'shocked' after receiving penalty for removing helmet

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant said he was "shocked" after receiving an unsportsmanlike penalty for removing his helmet during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

After he was flagged for offensive pass interference, Bryant approached referee Jeff Triplette to question the call. He was then penalized for removing his helmet -- a penalty he apparently wasn't aware of. 

"I wasn't angry at the ref," Bryant told the Dallas Morning News, per Pro Football Talk. "I was trying to see what the call was. I thought they called pass interference on the defense. When I was trying to come out of my break, the guy was tugging on me a little bit and I was trying to break away from it. He threw the flag and the whole time I'm thinking it’s a flag on [Minnesota]. Then I took my helmet off and I didn't know that that was a penalty.

"I was kind of shocked and then I heard the ref say, 'He took his helmet off.' I know now not to take my helmet off. If you go back and look at the play, you'll see I'm shocked. I'm confused."

Bryant said he removed his helmet to avoid any miscommunication. 

"So he could see me clear," Bryant said. "I took my helmet off so I could tell him. I didn't know it was a flag because the play was over with. I'll learn from it."