At a time when the league wants players to wear more protection on their legs, the league wants some to wear less protection on their faces.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Associated Press on Friday that non-standard face masks will be prohibited.
The ban includes players like Colts linebacker Robert Mathis, Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck, and Ravens defensive lineman Chris Canty, who wore his extra-thick cluster of bars on Thursday night in Tampa.
Mathis conceded the issue via Twitter on Friday.
“[I]ts official…. the league says i cant wear my facemask. I will return to my run of the mill grill,” he wrote.
An exception applies to players who can demonstrate a medical reason for the additional protection.
It’s a strange balance. In a league that discourages individuality to the point that the players look like robots, the league frowns upon accessories that make them look too robotic.