After Sunday night’s Cowboys-49ers game, NBC’s Melissa Stark interviewed a trio of 49ers. Teammate Nick Bosa stopped by, wearing a hat and point to it.
Because it was white with gold lettering (and not the usual red with white lettering), the message wasn’t clear at first. It read: ‘Make America Great Again.’
Regardless of which candidate in the upcoming presidential elections would have worn a hat worn by Bosa (or anyone else) before, during or after the match, it is a clear violation of the rules of the game.
As marked by Alex Simon of SFGate.com, the plain language of Rule 5, Article 4, Section 8 applies to post-match messages from players:
“During the period on matchday when a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including during pre-match warm-ups, on the bench and during post-match interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying or otherwise transferring them personal messages, writing or illustrationunless such notice has been previously approved by the League office. . . . The League does not authorize any club or player to wear, display or otherwise convey messages via helmet stickers, armbands, jersey patches, mouthpieces or other items affixed to match uniforms or equipment, relating to political activities or goalsother non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns.” (Emphasis added.)
Simon asked the association if Bosa broke the rule, but he received no answer. We also asked the league.
That’s a nonpartisan question. If the message supported Donald Trump or Kamala Harris or any other candidate for any other office, the rule would still be broken.
During his post-match press conference, Bosa refused to comment on the situation: “I’m not going to talk about it too much, but I think it’s an important time.”
It wouldn’t have been a violation of the rules if he had explained why he thinks this is an important time, and why he thinks it’s important to support the candidate he wants to support. He would have been completely within the rules to do so — just as former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was completely within the rules of the NFL when he chose to kneel during the national anthem as a form of protest.
It will be interesting to see what the league does. Because even if the league enforces the rule as written, someone will undoubtedly twist it into a league run by left-wing radicals trying to silence players.
You know, some of the same people who were so determined to silence Kaepernick.
