The NFL reportedly delayed a politically fraught fine until after the presidential election to avoid backlash from and his supporters. a Wall Street Journal report Tuesday, the league deliberately decided not to impose an immediate fine on San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat during a postgame television interview. In a widely posted clip from the 49ers Oct.
27 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Mr. Bosa crashed NBC’s postgame interview with quarterback Brock Purdy wearing a white MAGA hat with yellow lettering. It was a clear-cut violation of league rules against players “wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration” while on camera on game days.
Though it would have been equally a violation had Mr. Bosa sported a cap backing Kamala Harris or any other Democratic or third-party candidate, the league got cold feet in the week before the election, the Journal reported. Citing “people familiar with the matter,” the newspaper reported that the inevitable $11,225 fine was deliberately delayed until last weekend.
“The timing of Bosa’s gesture placed the league into a thorny situation. Any punishment could have been perceived as a statement against during the final days of the presidential race,” the Journal reported. Mr.
was both a heavy purchaser of ads during game time in the closing weeks of the campaign, trying to appeal to football fans and pump up his advantag.