League: NFL Sport: Football Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Caleb Williams addresses logo fines by blacking out cleats before game

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Nov 5, 2026, 10:30 AM

Last updated Nov 5, 2026

Summary

Caleb Williams covered the logo on his Caddix cleats during a Chicago Bears game on November 4, 2026, to avoid further fines from the NFL. After incurring nearly $36,000 in penalties for unauthorized branding, Williams opted to alter the appearance of his footwear amid growing media attention. Bears coach Ben Johnson expressed concern over the ongoing distractions from the issue. While Williams' action mitigates potential further fines, it highlights the NFL's strict branding rules and potential for escalating violations.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Williams covered the Caddix logo on his cleats to avoid fines.
•He faced $35,823 in penalties for logo violations.
•Bears coach Johnson indicated annoyance with media questions on the issue.
•The NFL enforces strict branding rules that could impact player participation.

Latest Updates

10:30 AMYahoo Sports — Phil Thompson: Caleb Williams didn’t just black out the logo on his cleats. He blocked a growing controversy.

What they're saying

"
CHICAGO — Thankfully, Chicago Bears fans, you didn’t have to wait for the other shoe to drop. On Monday night, Caleb Williams averted a potential Cleat Crisis — escalating a battle of wills between himself and the NFL — by covering the unauthorized logo of the Caddix cleats he has been wearing since at least the preseason. “Yeah, just to calm things down, man,” Williams said after the Bears ...
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Atlanta Falcons Chicago Bears New England Patriots Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cincinnati Bengals NFL Football

Sources

External links

Yahoo SportsNov 5, 2026, 10:30 AM
Phil Thompson: Caleb Williams didn’t just black out the logo on his cleats. He blocked a growing controversy.
CHICAGO — Thankfully, Chicago Bears fans, you didn’t have to wait for the other shoe to drop. On Monday night, Caleb Williams averted a potential Cleat Crisis — escalating a battle of wills between himself and the NFL — by covering the unauthorized logo of the Caddix cleats he has been wearing since at least the preseason. “Yeah, just to calm things down, man,” Williams said after the Bears ...

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Sources

Related Stories