Bears' Caleb Williams Says He'll Continue to Wear Unapproved Caddix Cleats Despite NFL Fine

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has no plans of switching out his Caddix cleats despite the NFL fining him for wearing an unauthorized brand in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Williams, who does not have an endorsement deal with Caddix, told reporters he intends to keep wearing the cleats during games in part because they have helped protect his legs and feet from injuries:

"I'm huge into trying to stay on the field. I'm huge into trying to be healthy. It's a rough game and things like that. So the cleats, they've been great. They've been super comfy and they've worked. They are a science type of cleat. 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 in these hard plants. They take tension off of your tendons, your joints and all of that. So over the course of a long career or over the course of a long year, when you can take some percentage -- it could be one, it could 50, it could be 12, it could be whatever, you know. When you take that percentage off consistently over a period of time, you know, you get to have the chance, a higher chance of being healthy. And so that's what I focus on. I try to be healthy. They're smart cleats. They're science cleats, and they've been working for me. A bunch of other guys wear them in the league, and they're forward-focused on making sure players stay on the field, and that's what I'm always focused on."

After the NFL announced on Monday that Williams was being fined $11,941 for wearing the cleats without covering up the logo, Caddix founder Jack Rasmussen said the brand would cover the amount and explained how the custom shoes help prevent against injuries.

"He bought our cleats because they're the only ones built with SmartStuds to release under injurious load, reducing the force responsible for non-contact knee and ankle injuries," Rasmussen said.

Per ESPN's Courtney Cronin , Williams has appealed the fine and Caddix will also have a hearing with the NFL on Nov. 10 about the decision.

Since the NFL currently has licensing deals with Nike, Under Armour and Adidas for footwear and gloves, those are the only brands players are allowed to wear with the logo showing during games.

Players can use branded items outside of those three, but the league requires the logo to be covered otherwise they are fined for violating the uniform and equipment policy.

Cronin noted Williams wore Nike brand cleats during his first two NFL seasons, but the Bears quarterback said he has been trying to switch to Caddix "for about a year."

Per the Caddix website , the brand was founded by the father-son duo of Jeff and Jack Rasmussen after researching non-contact ACL tears.

"They dug into decades of research and found a consistent culprit: the interaction between the cleat and the playing surface," according to the Caddix bio. "When a cleat locks the foot into the ground, rotational force is driven up the leg and into the knee, causing excessive strain and injury."

The brand cites 2025 as its "breakout" year when more than 30 NFL players began wearing the cleats during games.

Caddix lists Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey among the athletes who use its cleats.

Williams has worn the cleats throughout the 2026 season. He missed three games from Weeks 3-5 due to a hamstring injury before returning on Oct. 18 against the Falcons.

The 24-year-old also wore Caddix cleats in Chicago's Week 7 win over the New England Patriots.