In the NFL, the rules are the rules.
Except when they aren’t.
According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, Titans linebacker Avery Williamson isn’t expected to be fined for the 9/11 tribute cleats he wore Sunday.
Williamson acknowledged in advance that he expected to be fined — which is reasonable since everyone else who fails to fall in line to the league’s uniform code usually gets that letter. Since then, two police union leaders and Titans coach Mike Mularkey said they’d pay the fine for him.
As it pertains to his coach, the league’s decision to turn a blind eye to nonconformity when it dresses itself as patriotism prevented a huge can of worms from being opened. Not only can teams not pay fines for players, they can’t encourage or condone such behavior.
But clearly, some rules are more equal than others, which I’m sure the next player with a cause to promote will remember.