The NFL fashion police are after two Bears players, who are appealing fines issued over their alleged uniform faux pas on the field.
Bears wide receivers Earl Bennett and Brandon Marshall were each fined $10,500 for wearing orange cleats during Monday night’s game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. While the bright-colored footwear screams team spirit, it violates the NFL dress code.
The NFL defended their actions in levying the hefty fines, citing the fact that both Bennett and Marshall fall under the rules of "repeat offenders."
Last year, Bennett violated the policy twice because he considered the shoes to be good luck. The first time, he was fined $5,000 for sporting the illegal cleats on Nov. 9, 2011. The second time was a week later, and the NFL slapped him with a $10,000 fine along with the threat of removing him from the game if he wore them a third time. The shoes stayed in the locker room for the remainder of the season.
Marshall violated the policy this season during a game in Denver.
Earl Bennett said it was Marshall who put him up to it for the game against the Lions, according to an NBC Sports report.
However, the players don’t agree with the NFL and claim the rules pertaining to repeat offenders do not carry over year to year. They are appealing the fine.
All this over illegal shoes?!
