Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams got hit with an $11,941 fine from the NFL for failing to cover Caddix's unauthorized logo on his cleats during the team's Week 6 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 18. Now the company that made those cleats says it's got Williams covered financially, even though he has no endorsement deal with them.
The fine stems from Williams' failure to cover the unauthorized Caddix logo on the cleats he wore, according to NBC 5 Chicago. The NFL only permits logos on cleats from companies with league marketing affiliations, like Nike and Adidas, so players wearing Caddix shoes are required to cover up the branding. Williams apparently didn't, and the league's fine schedule treats displaying personal messages or unauthorized logos as a finable offense, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Caddix CEO Jack Rasmussen said in a statement that the company will pay any fines Williams receives for wearing the cleats, the Sun-Times reports. Per NBC 5 Chicago, Rasmussen said he's happy to cover the fines if it means Williams keeps prioritizing his health by continuing to wear them. The gesture is notable given that Williams has no endorsement contract with Caddix at all, a detail confirmed by Bleacher Report.
Why Williams Keeps Wearing Them Anyway
So why risk the fine at all? Rasmussen told Bleacher Report that Williams chose the cleats because they're the only ones built with SmartStuds designed to release under injurious load, reducing the forces associated with non-contact knee and ankle injuries. Caddix's own site describes the SmartStuds as adapting to both turf and grass to moderate rotational resistance, and the company points to NFL epidemiology data from 2021-2022 showing higher rates of lower-extremity injuries on artificial turf compared to natural grass, according to Caddix.
Williams wasn't deterred by the fine. He wore the Caddix cleats again Thursday night against the New England Patriots during the Bears' Week 7 victory, which could set him up for another penalty — potentially double the first, at $23,882, according to the league's fine structure. As of the latest reporting, though, the NFL had not announced whether Williams would actually be fined for that second appearance, per NBC 5 Chicago's earlier report on the situation.
Not the Only One in the League
Williams isn't the lone NFL player sporting Caddix shoes. The company said roughly 40 players were wearing its cleats this season, a group that includes Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco and 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the station's report notes. Other players around the league wearing Caddix include Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, though like Williams, those players are required to keep the logos covered to stay within league rules.
The Bears entered the stretch at 5-2 and were being talked about as a potential NFC playoff threat if Williams stays healthy, per the same account from Bleacher Report. For a team leaning on its young quarterback's durability down the stretch, a cleat choice built around injury prevention — even one that costs a few thousand dollars in league fines — may be a trade-off Williams and the Bears are willing to make.
Where the Fine Money Actually Goes
Whatever Williams or Caddix ends up paying doesn't just vanish into league coffers. According to the NFL, fines collected under its conduct policy are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation, which supports former players in need, as well as to the NFL Foundation. The league describes the NFL Foundation as dedicated to supporting the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, per NFL Football Operations.
The NFL and the NFL Players Association collectively bargain the on-field code of conduct that governs these fines, including the schedule covering unauthorized logos and branding, per NFL Football Operations. If a fine isn't appealed, or if the discipline is upheld, the money is simply withheld from the player's next game check — meaning if Williams doesn't fight it, Caddix will likely be the one cutting the reimbursement check, not the league.
