NFL FINES CALEB WILLIAMS OVER CADDIX BOOT LOGO

The NFL has fined Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams $11,941 for displaying an “unauthorised logo” on his Caddix boots during a Week 6 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Caddix has no agreement with the NFL to display its branding in games. Chicago won 31-23 in Atlanta, with Williams throwing for 305 yards and a touchdown. The game marked his return after a hamstring injury against the Minnesota Vikings.

The NFL has footwear partnerships with Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, and players wearing other brands must cover their logos. Caddix founder Jack Rasmussen said Williams chose the boots for their SmartStuds. “He bought our cleats because they're the only ones built with SmartStuds,” Rasmussen said. Rasmussen said the studs release under pressure that could cause knee or ankle injuries. Caddix said Williams bought the boots himself, has no endorsement agreement with the company and will have his fine covered by it.

Williams has appealed the fine and plans to argue that he considers the Caddix boots safer than the NFL’s licensed alternatives. He wore Caddix boots during the 2026 preseason and in every regular-season game he played, without receiving fines for Weeks 1 or 2. He also wore the same type of boots against the New England Patriots in Week 7 and had not received a fine for that game when the appeal emerged. Williams intends to keep wearing them, and the fine letter dated 20 October did not say whether the NFL could prevent him from playing with the logo visible.