NFL1 hour ago2 minute read

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams Wears Black Cleats to Stop Fine Drama

Caleb Williams wore custom matte black cleats without visible logos during the Bears victory in Seattle to avoid distraction.

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Clearing Up Footwear Drama in Seattle

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams took the field in Seattle wearing a pair of custom matte black cleats. The simple footwear change helped quiet the ongoing conversation surrounding his game day shoes. It came as the Bears earned a 34-17 victory over the Seahawks on Monday Night Football at Lumen Field.

Williams chose to wear Caddix cleats that did not show any visible logo during pregame warmups or during the game itself. The decision was aimed at removing potential distractions for his team. Williams stated after the game that it was a big week and he did not want to create any extra issues towards the team, adding that he gets a lot of media coverage and wanted to minimize extra attention as much as possible.

Fines and League Shoe Rules

The league previously issued fines totaling $35,823 to Williams. The punishment came after he wore cleats featuring an unauthorized logo during Week 6 and Week 7 games. Under league guidelines, only Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour hold official footwear partnerships with the NFL.

Caddix CEO Jack Rasmussen confirmed that the shoe company will pay the full amount of the fines for the quarterback. Williams explained that he has been wearing Caddix cleats since the preseason. He avoided fines early in the campaign because he was wearing an all white version of the shoe that did not clearly display the company logo.

Prioritizing the Team

The decision to go with plain black shoes marked a shift from earlier statements. Last week, Williams indicated that he did not plan to cover up the logo on his cleats and intended to keep wearing the shoes in games. However, he ultimately chose a look that eliminated logo visibility once game time arrived.

NFL officials have the authority to pull players off the field for uniform violations. Head coach Ben Johnson addressed the situation last Saturday, saying Williams is all about the team and would not do anything to hurt the team.

What it means for the next game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears (NFL, Mon, 09 Nov): Chicago Bears win 69%, Tampa Bay Buccaneers win 31%; projected score Chicago Bears 25, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20. Our safest pick: Bears to win.