Caleb Williams is taking a stand.
The Chicago Bears quarterback has been at the center of some cleat drama in recent weeks, resulting in multiple fines by the NFL for his failure to follow the uniform rules.
Williams has been wearing the Caddix brand of cleats, which is not a company the league has a partnership with. Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are the only brands with deals with the league, meaning other company logos must be covered to to avoid a fine.
In failing to cover the logo, Williams has been fined $35,823 over the last two weeks. The quarterback has given no indication that he plans to change his stance anytime soon, which only adds to the intrigue on "Monday Night Football" in Week 8 when the Bears visit the Seattle Seahawks.
Here's
what to know.
Caleb Williams cleats fine, explained
Williams has been wearing cleats made by Caddix, a brand without an NFL partnership.
The issue isn't the cleats; it's that the quarterback has been displaying the company's logo instead of covering it up. If the Caddix logo wasn't visible, Williams wouldn't be subject to fines from the league. The NFL's official stance is that players can wear whatever brand they want, as long as they cover up the logo of any company that isn't an official league partner.
Since Williams hasn't been doing that, he continues to rack up fines.
According to the league, a first offense fine for this violation is $11,941. Williams also received a fine for a second offense in the amount of $23,882.
It's unclear what the league will do if Williams fails to comply going forward.
Williams indicated to reporters on Oct. 28 that he has no plans to change course anytime soon and will keep wearing the cleats.
"I'm focused on my health," Williams said. "I'm focused on being able to be out here for the guys. And if that can give me a small percentage up and it works, then that's what I'm going to do."
How much has Caleb Williams been fined for his cleats?
Williams has been fined $35,823 for displaying an unauthorized logo.
Is Caleb Williams sponsored by Caddix?
Williams is not sponsored by Caddix and bought the cleats himself, according to Caddix CEO Jack Rasmussen.
Joe Flacco, Caddix offer to pay Caleb Williams' fine
Rasmussen, Caddix's CEO, posted on social media that the company would pay the fines that Williams is incurring.
"Caleb didn't sign a deal with us," Rasmussen posted. "We have not paid him and are not paying him. He bought our cleats because they’re the only ones built with SmartStuds™ to release under injurious load, reducing the force responsible for non-contact knee and ankle injuries."
"So here's our position: Caddix will cover Caleb's fines. We respect the league's rules on branding. But no player should have to choose between the cleat that adds to performance and the logo on the side."
Yet Rasmussen isn't alone.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco, who is listed as one of Caddix's four athlete advisors, told ESPN in a statement that he would pay the fine.
"If Caleb gets fined again for wearing Caddix, I'll pay the fine myself," Flacco told ESPN. "I've worn these cleats for years, and I know firsthand the difference they make. When you're playing at this level, you need equipment you can trust. This isn't about making a statement or breaking the rules just to break them. It's about wearing gear that works for you and helps keep you safe on the field. If Caleb believes in Caddix the way I do, I'm happy to stand behind him."
According to the company, other athlete advisors to Caddix include former Baltimore Ravens tight ends, Todd Heap and Dennis Pitta, and NWSL player Kayla Sharples.
What brand of cleats is Caleb Williams wearing?
Williams is wearing Caddix brand cleats.
Why is Caleb Williams wearing Caddix cleats?
Williams explained to reporters on Oct. 28 that his joints, ankles, knees and feet aren't bothering him as much since switching to Caddix.
"As we've known for the past couple of years now, I'm huge into my body," Williams said. "I'm huge into trying to stay on the field. I'm huge into trying to be healthy. It's a rough game and things like that. So the cleats, they've been great. They've been super comfy and they've worked."
The quarterback went on to explain the science behind the cleat technology.
"They are a science type of cleat," Williams said. "It's something that focuses on when you plant on the hard plants on turf or grass, they call them 'SmartStuds,' and they move when you move in these hard plants. They take tension off of your tendons, your joints and all of that. So over the course of a long career or over the course of a long year, when you can take some percentage – it could be one, it could 50, it could be 12, it could be whatever, you know. When you take that percentage off consistently over a period of time, you know, you get to have the chance, a higher chance of being healthy. And so that's what I focus on.
"I try to be healthy. They're smart cleats. They're science cleats, and they've been working for me. A bunch of other guys wear them in the league, and they're forward-focused on making sure players stay on the field, and that's what I'm always focused on."
NFL players who wear Caddix cleats
There isn't an official list of NFL players that wear Caddix cleats.
Rasmussen noted in an interview with Outkick, that the company has about 80 players wearing the company's cleats. While Williams is the most notable, the CEO shared that Jalen Ramsey, Dalton Kincaid, Jaycee Horn, Budda Baker, Kyle Juszczyk, Derek Stingley Jr. and Marlon Humphrey are among the others.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caleb Williams won't stop wearing Caddix cleats. Why Bears QB continues to be fined
