The San Francisco 49ers were flagged for 16 penalties -- a single-game high under fourth-year coach Jim Harbaugh and tied for the second most in the NFL since 2011 -- during Sunday night's 28-20 loss to the Chicago Bears.

The flag that had the 49ers scratching their heads the most, though, was the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on quarterback Colin Kaepernick for "inappropriate language" after a run-in with Bears defensive end Lamarr Houston .

"I didn't say anything," Kaepernick said after the game, in which he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble.

Coach Jim Harbaugh reiterated in his Monday media conference that he did not receive an explanation about the penalty, which fueled speculation that a racial ephithet was heard, and said he still wants clarification from the league on the call.

"Yeah, we'd like that," Harbaugh said. "Find out about that."