Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton faces fines after being caught violating NFL uniform regulations – and he's been doing it for years. If you look closely at his helmet, you can see two clips on both sides of the face mask of his helmet that advertise with the Under Armour logo.
According to USA Today, Newton got away with his rule-breaking for so long because the Panthers didn't see anything wrong with it since the black logo didn't really stand out on the black clip. However, the NFL won't be so lenient.
Forbes revealed the quarterback's violation when they noticed that he wasn't adhering to the strict NFL uniform policies. Nike is the official apparel partner of the NFL, paying $1.1 billion to keep the deal until 2016. They're going to have a lot to say about this one.
Newton signed an endorsement deal with Under Armour for over $1 million a year when he joined the NFL, which was the highest paid endorsement of any NFL rookie, ever.
Other players have been fined thousands of dollars for uniform violations as well. Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III wore an Adidas shirt during warmups or a preseason game and Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker wore an unauthorized hat during an interview in 2011 – both were fined $10,000.
That's why it's so strange that Newton was never caught, and according to Forbes, he has been sporting the Under Armour clips on his helmet since the his first NFL game in 2011.
The NFL Rulebook clearly states that “no visible identification of a manufacturer’s name or logo on the exterior of a helmet or on any attachment to a helmet is permitted unless provided for under a commercial arrangement between the League and manufacturer.”
Furthermore, the regulations explain that “players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or orally promoting equipment, apparel, or other items that carry commercial names or logos/identifications of companies, unless such commercial identification has been approved in advance by the League office.”
NFL league director of NFC football communications Randall Liu reported that the NFL will not tolerate Newton's violations, saying “this is a violation of the NFL’s uniform policy. The clips should be clear of all logos.”
Now that Newton has been discovered to be violating the NFL uniform regulations, fans are probing other players' photos to see if anyone else participated in the Under Armour endorsement. So far, Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor, San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid and Cleveland Browns wideout Josh Gordon have been ousted.
There is no information yet about how Newton and the others will be punished, but seeing as 49ers running back Frank Gore was fined $10,500 simply for wearing his socks too low during last year's NFC Championship game, this violation is sure to be expensive.
Image courtesy of You Tube screen shot