Tennessee Titans linebacker Avery Williamson isn’t expected to be fined for wearing cleats that paid tribute to 9/11 victims and responders on Sunday, a source told ESPN.
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TMZ first reported the news Tuesday.
The navy blue shoes Williamson and the other players wore had “9-11-01” on the back of the left shoe, with the “11” in the shape of the World Trade Center. Since then, two police union leaders and Titans coach Mike Mularkey said they’d pay the fine for him.
Several New York and New Jersey police associations had pledged to pay Williamson’s fine if the National Football League did indeed punish him.
In the past, the National Football League has been very strict regarding its uniform policy, fining players such as running back DeAngelo Williams, who wrote “Find the Cure” on his eye black last season to bring awareness to breast cancer.
Several NFL players wore patriotic cleats Sunday. I felt like I had to do that, just for myself and to represent the people that were lost and the people that do their jobs every day to protect us.
As for the cleats, Williamson is auctioning them off with proceeds going to Operation Warrior Wishes.
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The NFL has been unflinchingly rigid in its enforcement of the dress code, and has previously drawn criticism for uniform fines. The right shoe said “Never Forget”. Williams’ mother died of the disease in 2014. As Kuharsky notes, the NFL’s policy on fines and appeals states that team executives and coaches can be fined for “condoning, permitting, etc., violations in this area”. Players will be permitted to show support for a charity or a cause on their cleats.
