After fulfilling his obligation to make himself available to reporters on Super Bowl Media Day, and nothing else, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch may still face sanctions from the NFL. Lynch, who I think it may be safe to assume is the all time league leader in being fined, may be assessed a fine for the hat he was wearing during his “interview” on Tuesday. The league is currently reviewing whether the hat was permissible under league rules. If the NFL rules Lynch used the opportunity to promote a nonleague approved brand you can expect another in a long line of fines for Lynch. In November, he was fined $50,000 for not talking to the media and another $50,000 that was being withheld by the league from the 2013 season that was dependent upon his future cooperation with the press. Lynch was also fined $11,050 for grabbing his crotch after a touchdown in a late December game against the Arizona Cardinals. He was fined $20,000 for doing the same thing in the NFC Championship Game. The NFL does not allow players to wear brands that conflict with league partners during games and postgame interviews. This includes Super Bowl Media Day. Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 for wearing a Vitaminwater hat on his podium during Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Lynch’s situation is different to Urlacher’s considering Lynch wasn’t wearing a brand that competes with a league sponsor. The logo was his own Beast Mode logo and the hat is made by New Era, which is the official hat of the NFL.
