49ers’ Tarell Brown fined $5,250 for “red undergarment sleeves”

Posted by Michael David Smith on September 18, 2012, 7:32 PM EDT
AP

San Francisco cornerback Tarell Brown is paying the price for wearing a shirt underneath his shoulder pads that didn’t meet with the NFL’s specifications.

Brown had been fined $5,250, and Matt Maiocco has posted the letter Brown got from the league explaining the fine.

“Dear Tarell: During the Detroit Lions-San Francisco 49ers game on September 16, 2012, you were in violation of the NFL Uniform and Equipment Rules. Specifically, you wore red undergarment sleeves. Your team designated undergarment color is white,” the letter says.

It’s unclear whether Brown didn’t know that his team designated undergarment color is white, or if he knew and just didn’t care. The NFL’s fine is an attempt to make him care.

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46 responses to “49ers’ Tarell Brown fined $5,250 for “red undergarment sleeves””

  9. 5200 for wearing the wrong color shirt?

    i think he should come out and sell that shirt on Ebay for 5200 and have the listing “Goodell Period Red limited edition NFL undershirt”

  10. Where else are they gonna get the money to fund the ref’s pensions that they drastically cut and said take it or leave it? Certainly not from the tightwad owners who control Goodell like the puppet he is.

  11. Botched offensive pass interference call in Ravens game: Priceless

    Non-call for block in the back on Cobb’s kickoff return touchdown: Priceless

    Unnecessary pass interference call on Chris Culliver covering like a beast: Priceless

    Tarell Brown wearing team colors while playing football: $5,250

  12. That’s it. The wheels are already coming off. 2-14 3-13 at best. Hairbow will be fired at the end of the year and Alex Smith is a bust.

  13. The way the league can strong-arm fines like this is pretty pathetic. I was unaware NFL stood for Nazi Football League. I should pay better attention.

  15. Proper undergarment colors for each team? Rules are rules (I guess?) but I really don’t understand what the NFL is so afraid of here. This just makes them look like control freaks who micro-manage every aspect of the game and care little for the happiness of their players.

    As long as nothing’s profane, dangerous, or inappropriate WHO CARES???

  16. 5200 for wearing the wrong color shirt?

    i think he should come out and sell that shirt on Ebay for 5200 and have the listing “Goodell Period Red limited edition NFL undershirt”
    …………

    Actually, he should raffle it off for charity!

  18. Seriously, Goodell? You are worried about the fashion of the league when the replacement refs are screwing up clocks, calls, player names, teams, and heck even allowing fights?!?!? I’ve gotta say, I’m disappointed…

  19. There have been uniform fines forever in the NFL. This is nothing new. To assume a player does not know what is approved as this article does shows a total lack of how the NFL operates.

    The NFL is protecting their brand.

  20. It’s unclear whether Brown didn’t know that his team designated undergarment color is white, or …
    _______________

    Right. He was late, everybody else was already dressed and he thought red was the color of the day.

  23. 1phd says:Sep 18, 2012 8:28 PM

    Where else are they gonna get the money to fund the ref’s pensions that they drastically cut and said take it or leave it? Certainly not from the tightwad owners who control Goodell like the puppet he is.
    __________________

    Oh, the uninformed …

    The NFL’s offer was for more money and a conversion from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan, just like most other corporations have done. What the greedy part-time refs are really balking at is being held accountable and subjected to release for poor performance. That would be a good thing for the game and the fans, but the refs obviosly don’t think like everybody else.

  26. I am amazed this is really important business for the league. I guess non sanctioned undershirts are a hazard to player safety.

  27. So glad I got to see the game in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s when it still had character and the guys still had some individuality. Goodell thinks the NFL is the military and that he’s the Commander In Chief. Just a shame that guys like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Randy Rhoads, and Patrick Swayze die young while this guy gets to live. I’d happily sacrifice Goodell to get one of those other guys back.

  28. Stupid!! You are all morons that agree! I could understand if it wasn’t a team color or had something all over the sleeves… But it was just a red shirt same color as the jersey worn… NFL should really get it together.. First they let back in all the saint bounty ethical cheaters, then they don’t fund properly for REAL REFEREES… And then they go and fine players for dumb irrelevant things… Goodell should really grab a hold of his wallet and make better decisions or have better back up for his decisions.. Go niners!!

  29. voiceofnonsense – mcgriff already got caught covering up the nike logo on his pre-game attire. but he didn’t get slapped with a fine because he is the new diva qb face of the league.

  31. the NFL has signs posted at the entrance to the field about proper attire for games. there’s a diagram and detailed explanation on what is and isn’t acceptable to wear.

    airlines have signs at the security entrance that inform you that you cant have certain items past the checkpoint. the airline doesn’t fine you though, they just don’t let you through until you follow the rules.

    the NFL could have a checkpoint at the tunnel and if a player is in violation of the uniform policy, he can’t step onto the field. instead, they choose to let the players wear whatever they want, and simply fine them afterwards.

  36. and where the heck do they get $5,250 from besides the color? Are all colors the same fine or are red, green or blue more costly? Because if so, the Raiders could get off pretty cheap with this infraction while the Seahawks would go bankrupt. Is it based on thread-count maybe? V-neck or crew? C’mon guys, Details! Don’t leave me hangin’!

  37. How is it ridiculous? You can’t just wear what you want in the NFL, simple rule, simple fine. Drama queens rule pft posts

  39. dress code is nothing new. The rules are enforced. Is it your employers’ job to call you every day and let you know what is and isn’t acceptable to wear? Do they have people standing at the doors making sure you are dressed properly? no. They tell you once, they write it down somewhere, and you be a big boy and follow the rules.

    5k is not much for these guys anyway. not a big deal.

  42. Are we surprised? The NFL is the same organization full of multiBILLIONAIRES in a league worth hundreds of billions. Yet, they claim cannot “afford” to build their lavish buildings of work and hold hostage the taxpayers with threats of moving if they don’t shell out millions in a massive recession.

  43. Thank GOD I can watch the NFL again. I saw that trash on TV and thought to myself “Ew, is he wearing a RED undershirt when his team’s designated undershirt is CLEARLY WHITE!”

    Fortunately the Ginger Knight has saved us from this atrocity. I will recommit myself back to the league this week.

    -Said no one, ever.

  44. “Dear Commissioner Goodell;

    Enclosed in this envelope is our Team Fine of $278,250 in advance of the acceptable fine of 5,250 per player per game. While we do agree that only team colors are acceptable we believe that our teammate(one Terrell Brown CB) was perfectly within dress code as it did not class with the Nike logo Uniforms that all teams wear and was within the Home Field Color Scheme of the San Francisco 49ers.

    We will be mailing you this amount for every game we decide to wear the color Red under our Jerseys whether they be Red or White. If you don’t like it you know what you can do with every one of our penalty checks for this season.

    Sincerely;

    The players of the San Francisco 49ers.
    Who’s got it better than US?!?”

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