LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Coach Marc Trestman and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker on Wednesday denied that the Bears fake injuries to slow high-powered offenses after revelations made this week by former linebacker Brian Urlacher, who said Chicago used the practice when he was with the team.

Urlacher said that during his 13 seasons with the franchise, the Bears employed the strategy, which is a common practice but one that goes unspoken around the NFL and college football.

NFL clubs, meanwhile, were reminded in a memo Thursday of a rule that "faking injuries" can result in severe disciplinary action and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The memo also reinforced a rule prohibiting a defense from trying to disrupt offensive cadence-and-snap operations.

"We have instructed all officials to be on the alert for violations of this rule. Further, if it is determined by video review or other means available to the League office that defensive players are engaging in such practices, such players and their coaches may be subject to disciplinary action," said the memo, sent by Dean Blandino in his first year as the NFL's vice president of officiating.

The memo also advised teams that "violators of this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action for conduct detrimental to the game which could include fines of coaches, players, and clubs, suspensions or forfeiture of draft choices."

Feigning injuries is not restricted to defensive players as teams prepare to face no-huddle, up-tempo offenses. Last season, receiver Emmanuel Sanders was fined $15,000 for feigning injury and his team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, was fined $35,000.