Bears quarterback Caleb Williams says he will keep wearing Caddix "smart cleats" even though the NFL has fined him for them. Pro Football Talk and Yahoo Sports report that he has not been fined for Week 7 despite wearing the unauthorized shoes again. PFT adds that he vowed to keep wearing them.
ESPN has the fine itself. It reported that Williams said Wednesday he will continue in the cleats he was fined $11,941 for wearing in Chicago's Week 6 win at Atlanta. According to a source, he has appealed that fine. The outlets are describing two separate weeks. The Week 6 fine is confirmed and under appeal. The reporting we have says only that no Week 7 fine has been issued. It does not say whether one is coming.
Williams's explanation, as quoted in a Reddit post of his remarks, is about his body. "They are a science-type of cleat," he said. "It's something that focuses on when you plant on the hard plants on turf or grass, they call them SmartStuds, and they move when you move. They take tension off of your tendons, your joints and all of that." He added: "I'm focused on being able to be out here for the guys. And if that can give me a small percentage up and it works, then that's what I'm gonna do." The post frames this as a bet on his availability now and in the future. None of the reporting we have says he is hurt.
Our data shows why availability is a live topic. Williams has played 4 of the Bears' 7 games this season. His game log has no entry for the 31-7 loss at Green Bay on Oct. 11, and the reporting doesn't say why. In the four games he has played, he has completed 88 of 124 passes (71.0%) for 1,020 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception, with a 105.6 rating. He has also been sacked 12 times, and he has rushed for 128 yards and 2 scores.
The two games around the fine were his best by yardage. He threw for 305 yards on 30 of 36 at Atlanta, where he was sacked four times. Then he threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-24 win over New England on Oct. 22. The Bears are 5-2, second in the NFC North, and have won two straight.
| GP | TOT | SOLO | AST | SACK | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The appeal is still pending, and we have no ruling or timeline from any outlet. Chicago's next game is at Seattle on Monday, Nov. 2. If Williams wears the Caddix cleats there, it would be the third straight week in them. It would also show whether the league has changed its position on a Week 7 fine.
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