The NFL has fined Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams $11,941 for the cleats he wore in Atlanta, and the problem was not the shoe itself but the name on it. Williams played the Bears’ Week 6 game against the Falcons on Oct. 18 in cleats made by Caddix, a small company that is not one of the league’s approved footwear partners, and its logo was visible on the field.
The fine first came to light late on Friday, Oct. 23. According to the league’s letter to Williams, dated Oct. 20 and reported by Pat Benson, Williams was “in violation of the NFL Uniform and Equipment Rules.” The letter spelled out the issue: “Specifically, you displayed an unauthorized logo on your shoes.”
Williams did not change course. He wore Caddix cleats again on Thursday night, when he threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as Chicago beat the New England Patriots 30-24 at Soldier Field to improve to 5-2, as covered in our game recap. That game could bring another letter from the league office.
Why the league fined him
The NFL sells the right to put a brand on players’ feet. Companies such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour pay to be official footwear partners, and the league’s uniform rules allow their logos to be seen on game days. Players may wear cleats from other makers, but any outside branding has to be covered, which is why some players tape over or black out the logos on their shoes before kickoff.
Uniform violations are routine for the league’s game-day inspectors, but they rarely involve a star quarterback. Earlier this season, Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, tackle Trenton Brown and cornerback Jaylin Smith were all fined for uniform violations, and Arizona cornerback Kei’Trel Clark was fined for one in Week 1. The $11,941 figure is a familiar one: it is the same amount the league has handed out this season for a long list of first-time face mask and taunting fouls.
A cleat built around knee injuries
Caddix was founded by Jack Rasmussen, who has said the idea came to him after he and his father watched Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles tear his ACL on a play with no contact. The company says its patented SmartStuds are designed to flex and release when a player cuts or pivots, reducing the twisting force that travels up through the knee and ankle. Caddix went on sale in 2024, counts former Baltimore Ravens Joe Flacco, Todd Heap and Dennis Pitta among its investors, and says about 40 NFL players are wearing its cleats this season.
Rasmussen offered to pick up the bill. “Obviously, Caleb believes in the product and sees value in wearing Caddix cleats,” he said in a statement. “I’m happy to cover his fines if he’s going to keep prioritizing his health.” The company also posted on Saturday that Williams was “choosing the only cleats with SmartStuds technology,” and the fine has given a brand few fans had heard of a week ago far more attention than an $11,941 ad budget could buy.
That raises the question the league may now have to answer: whether it keeps fining Williams every time he wears them, or whether he follows the other players who simply cover the logo.
More discipline on the way
Williams’ fine came to light through his letter rather than the league’s weekly list of on-field fines. The Week 6 list is due on Saturday, and San Francisco safety Malik Mustapha is among the players waiting on it after his unflagged hit on Washington receiver Stefon Diggs, a fine that would leave him one strike from an automatic suspension under the new three-strike rule. Last week’s report was led by Maxx Crosby’s $23,882 helmet fine, as detailed in our Week 5 discipline story.
Some fines have already leaked out. Denver linebacker Alex Singleton has been fined $23,882 for unnecessary roughness for a hit on Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold that was not flagged, Mike Klis reported. Darnold had just released the ball when Singleton hit him at the belt. It is Singleton’s third fine of the season, and he plans to appeal.
The league has also been busy with coaches this week, fining Mike Vrabel, Aaron Glenn and Nick Sirianni $250,000 each for their conduct toward officials, with the money held back as long as they stay in line, as explained in our story on the coach fines.
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