Overview
- The NFL fined Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams $11,941 for displaying a visible Caddix logo on his cleats during Week 6, and Williams has filed an appeal of that fine.
- Williams says he will continue wearing the unapproved Caddix cleats because they have reduced joint and tendon pain for him, and he reportedly wore the same cleats again in Week 7 with no additional fine announced.
- Caddix founder Jack Rasmussen told reporters the company will pay Williams’s fine and said the brand built the cleats with patented SmartStuds that respond to load to protect players from injurious forces.
- SmartStuds are designed to flex and release under pressure so studs can deform slightly during pivoting, which the company says lowers rotational torque on knees and ankles that is linked to noncontact injuries.
- The dispute highlights a growing clash between player safety choices and the NFL’s strict uniform and logo rules and could prompt closer scrutiny of the league’s equipment approval process and enforcement if more players adopt vendor technologies.