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Will Custom Cleats Force the NFL to Change Its Policy?
- Updated: October 12, 2016
Five weeks into the NFL season, we’ve seen players test the limits of self-expression in the NFL in ways previously unseen. Kneeling for the national anthem, locking arms, speaking out—all have become increasingly prominent in NFL life. So, too, has a more subtle form of messaging—footwear.
A handful of players across the league have taken to making statements with specialized cleats, addressing everything from social injustice to family members. Washington’s DeSean Jackson has been one of many to make a splash. His decision to wear a pair of BrandBlack protest cleats during Week 4 pregame warmups helped shine a light on police brutality.
In a conversation with Donte Stallworth—special to Bleacher Report—Jackson spoke about why he chose to use footwear to express himself: “I felt like I was silent long enough. This is my ninth NFL season. I have a platform and the visibility to take a stand and do it in the right way.”
Jackson hasn’t been the only person to lean on footwear as a megaphone. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has become a focal point this season regarding custom footwear, with the league forcing him to change his cleats on three separate occasions.
In Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brown donned a pair of cleats that paid tribute to his four children. The blue-and-yellow spikes briefly saw the field before the NFL made him remove them or face a second-half ban.
Last week against the New York Jets, Brown had to remove his spikes, which paid respect to the late Muhammad Ali. Brown understands the violations will be keep coming as long as he wears personalized spikes. “There are rules and guidelines you’ve got to …
