San Francisco 49ers star pass rusher Nick Bosa went viral for showing his “Make American Great Again” hat to the television cameras following a recent game, which was pretty clearly in violation of NFL rules. But even though the investigation is still ongoing, it sounds like the NFL has already made a decision regarding a possible suspension.
According to a report from Mark Maske of the Washington Post, Nick Bosa will not be facing a suspension as a result of his political display. However, he still could be facing a fine.
“The NFL is reviewing the 49ers’ Nick Bosa wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat during NBC’s postgame interviews Sunday night. Bosa is not facing a suspension but could be fined for violating NFL rules, source says. No decision is expected before next week,” Maske said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
Maske went on to explain the specific rule that Bosa appears to have broken by wearing the MAGA hat.
“Under NFL rules, players are ‘prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office,’ he wrote in a follow-up post. “Those rules apply to game days whenever a player ‘is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field).’
“Nick Bosa appeared in NBC’s camera shot, wearing the hat, as the network was conducting a postgame interview Sunday night with Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Isaac Guerendo,” Masked continued. “NFL rules say the league ‘will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages… which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns.'”
But even though he pretty clearly violated the rules, he will be facing no more than a fine from the NFL.
Needless to say, this news led to a lot of reactions on social media.
“Hope it’s a hefty fine,” on fan wrote on X.
“The fine for an NFL player is probably the equivalent of $20 for people like us,” another fan added.
“So disappointing that the NFL is going to wait until after Election Day to fine Nick Bosa,” another fan said.
“Nick Bosa getting a fine when the 49ers and the league basically blacklisted Kaepernick for what he did is sadly unsurprising,” another person said.
“I’m sure Nick Bosa will gladly write the check for whatever they fine him,” someone else wrote.
We’ll have to see whether or not the league does decide to give him a fine.
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