Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will not cover the Caddix logo on his cleats, citing principle, a source told NFL Network.
The NFL has fined Williams $35,823 over the past two weeks for wearing cleats with an unapproved logo. League rules allow visible logos only from Adidas, Nike, or Under Armour; all other brands must be obscured with tape or spats.
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Williams wears Caddix cleats, which the company says use SmartStuds technology to reduce rotational torque on the foot and lower stress on the knees and ankles. Caddix states this design may reduce injury risk. Williams supports that claim and wants to raise awareness of the product.
Caddix CEO Jack Rasmussen told NFL Network the company does not instruct players on how to wear its cleats. He said Caddix cannot explain why Williams declines to cover the logo.
A Caddix spokesperson confirmed that neither Williams nor his father Carl is a representative or investor in the company. The relationship began when Williams’ quarterback trainer contacted Caddix last year. After months of discussion and two prototype iterations, Williams selected a final model.
Joe Flacco — an investor in Caddix — and Rasmussen have both offered to pay Williams’ fines. The situation recalls Jim McMahon’s 1985 defiance of NFL uniform rules during the Bears’ Super Bowl XX season, when McMahon wore an unauthorized Adidas headband and was fined $5,000 by commissioner Pete Rozelle.
Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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