There’s a reason the NFL has become known as the No Fun League. The NFL is usually stingy about it’s dress code, often fining players for not having proper shoes, having socks pulled up too high, or having a jersey un-tucked. Most of these things are petty, come with a fine that acts more like a slap on the wrist, and are soon forgotten. The latest move by the NFL wasn’t exactly petty, and probably won’t be forgotten about for a long time.
Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was fined by the NFL for wearing a hat at a Super Bowl press conference that had the advertisement of a company not endorsed or sponsored by the NFL. What was the fine for Urlacher? $100,000. No, I’m not talking about the delicious candy bar either. I don’t care who you are or what kind of money you make, $100,000 is a lot of money. It’s too much money.
Just because the NFL is butt hurt about Urlacher rocking a brand that he, along with several other athletes, endorses, doesn’t mean they should tag him with a fine that exceeds 6 digits. Wouldn’t a $10,000 fine have been enough to get the point across? It’s not like this was even during a game either, it was during a press conference. The idea that he can’t wear a specific hat because the NFL doesn’t specifically endorse it is one thing. Taking that big of a chunk out of his paycheck is another thing. Was Urlacher flipping fans off? No. Was he making stupid signs that taunted the NFL’s fine policy? No. He was wearing a hat.
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