Sports
NFL penalizes Caleb Williams over visible Caddix cleat logo
The Bears quarterback was fined $11,941 for wearing Caddix cleats against Atlanta, and another penalty is likely after he wore them again against New England. The league bars visible logos from brands outside its approved footwear partners.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was fined $11,941 for wearing black Caddix cleats with a visible logo during the team’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, and another fine is likely after he wore the shoes again in Thursday’s win over the New England Patriots.
The NFL classified the first penalty as a uniform violation. Its rules prohibit players from displaying unauthorized brand logos on game days, from pregame warmups through postgame media availability. Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are the league’s footwear partners; players wearing shoes from other companies must cover the logos.
Williams has until Oct. 30 to appeal the Falcons-game fine. The NFL’s stated penalty for displaying personal messages or unauthorized logos is $11,941. The league said the uniform policy had been communicated to players before the season.
The quarterback wore Caddix cleats in the first two games of the season, but those shoes were all white and the logo was not prominent. He later wore black cleats that made the company’s gray logo visible against both Atlanta and New England.
Williams has played well in those two games, completing 75.4% of his passes for 613 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, for a 116.4 passer rating. Chicago beat New England to move to 5-2 and is scheduled to visit the defending champion Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2.
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, has not signed a shoe endorsement deal. He has worn Nike and New Balance, among other brands, since entering the NFL. Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady works with Caddix and wore its cleats at a flag football event this year. Caddix says its stud design is intended to lower the risk of non-contact knee and ankle injuries; that is the company’s claim, not an NFL finding.
Caddix, based in Baltimore, began making cleats in 2024 and has expanded into football, soccer and lacrosse. The company says about 40 players are using its cleats this season. CEO Jack Rasmussen said the company would pay any fines Williams receives.
Bears receiver Jahdae Walker was also fined $5,620 for each of two penalties in the Atlanta game: a third-quarter hit on punter Jake Bailey and a fourth-quarter headbutt of receiver Chris Blair that led to Walker’s ejection.