MINKAH FITZPATRICK’S MIND rolls by what looks like one million potentialities within the mere seconds earlier than every snap. What is the offensive formation? Are he and his Miami Dolphins teammates in the fitting protection? What potential routes would possibly the opposing receivers be operating?
There’s a lot to contemplate. And, but, nowhere on that checklist of issues is the exact size of his pants. A lot to chagrin of the Dolphins security, the NFL is definitely fairly on this.
This turned evident years in the past when Fitzpatrick joined the lengthy checklist of NFL gamers to be fined for a uniform violation. Even refined violations can set off stiff monetary penalties that run nicely into the 5 figures, meant to be deterrents to noncompliance.
However Fitzpatrick did not precisely heed the message.
“I am the poster boy for uniform fines,” stated Fitzpatrick, who turned nicely generally known as a repeat offender of the NFL’s strict uniform insurance policies throughout his six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“First, they stated my pants have been too excessive [above the knee],” he continued. “So, I needed to deliver my pants down. Then, they have been like, my socks did not match. I did not have sufficient white or sufficient black or no matter displaying. All of the little nuances.”
Uniform violations can stem from gamers in search of consolation and suppleness, as is usually the case with the improper use of knee pads or pant size. In different circumstances, a participant’s fake pas may end up from their seek for swag.
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“They’ve a complete guide for what they need us to appear to be,” Fitzpatrick stated. “They need us to appear to be that model, you understand? With the high-pulled socks, with the half white, half black or half group coloration. It appears to be like loopy. No one desires to appear to be that.
“I get it. They do not need us to all look sloppy. We signify the league. However I believe if we’re not wanting ridiculous, then simply allow us to dwell.”
NFL gamers have a look at their NBA counterparts longingly. Whereas professional basketball actually has pointers, NFL gamers have a look at, say, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James sporting a pair of pink basketball sneakers and marvel — what is the hurt?
“And he’ll nonetheless go drop 30 [points],” Steelers tight finish Jonnu Smith stated.
The NFL’s guidelines aren’t going wherever, although, leaving gamers to navigate present pointers or face the results. However that does not imply gamers have to love them. A bunch of distinguished gamers spoke to ESPN about their likes and dislikes of how NFL apparel is policed and what parts they want might be modified.
EVEN FIVE YEARS later, Houston Texans receiver Nico Collins remembers the shock of opening a letter left in his locker following a preseason recreation.
“It was after the Inexperienced Bay recreation in my rookie yr,” he stated. “That was my first time getting fined. I simply noticed this white envelope, and I used to be like, ‘What is that this?’ I learn it and it was a uniform violation. I used to be like, ‘What did I do?'”
A number of weeks later, one other letter arrived.
“I assume that was them saying, ‘All proper, bro, that is sufficient,'” Collins stated.
#Cardinals CB Kei’Trel Clark posted on IG that he was fined $5,797 by the NFL for sporting an unapproved black towel throughout final week’s recreation vs. the Colts.
🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/QakPIkmm76
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 16, 2025
Even for a participant like Collins, who now earns greater than $24 million per season after signing an extension in 2024, the price of uniform violations do not go unnoticed. A primary offense can draw a superb of $5,797, with future violations costing gamers $17,389.
However Collins’ violations, he stated, weren’t primarily based in a willful disregard rooted in his trend preferences. Collins stated his fines — he has drawn lots, he stated — are usually concerning the size of his pants. Collins is among the many many talent gamers who dislike their pants and knee pads masking their total knee as a result of, they are saying, it slows them down and makes them much less versatile within the open discipline.
“And whenever you’re tall, I can not assist that after I run, they will stand up regardless,” stated Collins, who’s 6-foot-4. “It bought to the purpose the place I could not even stroll on the sphere for warmups with out listening to, ‘Quantity 12 — pants!’ I am like, ‘What do you y’all need me to do?'”
That alternate was between Collins and the uniform inspectors that roam the sphere at each NFL stadium, usually former gamers who act because the uniform police. They’re tasked with inspecting gamers earlier than and through video games for uniform and security compliance. Inspectors can fluctuate of their ranges of scrutiny from stadium to stadium, gamers say.
“I simply really feel prefer it’s a bit of inconsistent,” Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn stated. “I gown the identical means each recreation, however I bought fined two or thrice final yr. It is annoying.”
The inspectors implement a variety of pointers. Amongst them are using correct gear akin to pads, acceptable chin straps and authorised helmet visors; authorised shoe and glove manufacturers (unaffiliated manufacturers can be utilized if the logos are fully obscured); and commonplace uniform violations, akin to improperly worn socks.
Check out particular examples of @NFL uniform & gear guidelines/violations for every group: https://t.co/Z3lorCHeUx pic.twitter.com/qU7mF5gN8V
— NFL Soccer Operations (@NFLFootballOps) February 15, 2016
A few of these rules exist for the safety of gamers. Others are in place for uniformity, which the NFL not often compromises on. The NFL’s recreation operations guide is express. It reads: “A participant’s look on the sphere conveys a message relating to the picture of the league and instantly impacts the league’s repute and success.”
Maybe the best instance of how significantly the NFL takes this subject is the enforcement of socks. It is the factor gamers appear to complain about probably the most. The principles round socks are unusually particular: White socks or tights displaying from the highest of the shoe to the midcalf after which an authorised group coloration stocking from the midcalf to the underside of the pant leg, which have to be pulled beneath the knee. Something outdoors of that’s topic to a violation.
This was what Smith stated led to his solely uniform superb.
“I assume I wasn’t displaying sufficient white, in order that they’re like, ‘You bought to point out extra white,'” he stated.
Smith stated his superb was rescinded, however gamers should not rely on that. The NFL says about $4 million in uniform-related fines have been collected since 2011, with the cash being distributed to a wide range of charities.
Shoe coloration can be closely regulated. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was fined $5,628 final season for sporting mismatching Jordan cleats, one in every of which wasn’t outdoors of his group’s commonplace colours. Gamers could put on footwear that’s black, white or a “constitutional” group coloration, in keeping with NFL guidelines.
Eagles teammate A.J. Brown can attest to how critical a matter that is for the NFL. He was requested to alter cleats in the course of the first quarter of a “Monday Night time Soccer” recreation in 2023 when the group was knowledgeable his “spotlight inexperienced” cleats weren’t in compliance. Brown stated later he was advised by the group’s gear supervisor that “they have been going to drag me out of the sport.”
After two offensive sequence, Brown went to the sideline and altered his sneakers.
THE NFL’S UNIFORM guidelines are a truth of life for gamers. However in an ideal world the place the principles have been extra versatile, what would gamers want to see permitted?
The reply, typically, is guidelines that permit for some individuality.
Baltimore Ravens security Kyle Hamilton stated he has by no means been fined for a uniform violation. His group’s gear employees even heard from league officers final season that his game-day apparel was “exemplary” and held him up as somebody teammates ought to emulate.
However even Hamilton needs there was a bit extra wiggle room.
40 Years Aside: Jalen Hurts receives “banned” letter from NFL after sporting Air Jordans in violation of league’s uniform coverage. He will probably be fined $5,628.
“We’re paying the superb,” Jordan Model tells me. “You possibly can’t ban greatness.”
Superb comes 40 years after Michael Jordan’s black… pic.twitter.com/EM63vrwwOq
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) December 20, 2024
“I want I may simply put on ankle socks and never must [wear] the tights,” he stated. “And I’d perhaps like to jot down some [messages] on my sleeve, stuff like that. It is simply displaying individuality on the finish of the day.”
Hamilton added, “NBA dudes, MLB guys, they do not have a helmet over their face so folks know who they’re. I believe for us, some [individuality] can be good marketingwise.”
Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner added his ideas.
“I believe they might be extra lenient on the visors,” he stated. Present guidelines permit solely clear helmet visors besides within the case of medical exemptions.
“And I believe the colourful cleats might be a factor, too,” he added. “And a few guys write messages on issues. Plenty of it has actual that means. … It could be anyone that is deceased or no matter. Possibly it simply type of reminds them of somebody. So, I believe that kind of factor I believe can be cool.”
Horn had an nearly similar want checklist.
“I want we may have coloured visors and any type of cleats,” he stated. “That’d be cool. It would be like Madden — create your individual participant.”
Gamers are, in fact, free to check the bounds. Throughout February’s Professional Bowl Video games, San Francisco 49ers tight finish George Kittle wore a pair of blue Nike SB Dunk cleats highlighted by a number of shaggy fake fur. Kittle, a self-described sneakerhead who stated he had the sneakers specifically made, was requested if he may ever see himself sporting them in a recreation.
“I will attempt,” he stated.
However as Kittle’s group took the sphere this previous Monday night time, in a recreation essential to the Niners’ playoff place, Kittle did what he has executed for many each different recreation in his profession: He donned a pair of conformist white and crimson Nike cleats, cleanly mixing in with the remainder of his teammates.
The 49ers beat the Indianapolis Colts and Kittle saved himself a number of thousand {dollars}.
