Odell Beckham Jr. was fined for wearing Craig Sager-themed cleats last Sunday. You read that right. An NFL superstar had to pay money for honoring a late broadcaster's life on an NFL field in front of millions of fans.
Beckham explained the news while commenting on an Instagram post by Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was also fined for wearing his own pair of custom cleats this past week.
Beckham's comment reads: "Don't worry I got fined 18k for Craig Sager cleats that were auction off the cleats to the highest bidder and donating the proceeds to his cancer research. 18k like it's nothin to them, no warning to take them off or anything , noTHING! @0ne0fone @0ne0fone."
To clarify, if it still isn't clear, Beckham got fined $18,000 for cleats he was auctioning off for charity.
18k without a single warning , but the world would never kno, they act like it's no big deal. No respect for the message IMO https://t.co/Ym30L1FnCP
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) December 22, 2016
To play Devil's Advocate here, Beckham had to know his cleats would warrant a fine. The boots are clearly distant from standard Giants' team colors and although Beckham may not agree with the rule, his footwear disregarded the NFL's authority.
With that said, Beckham brought further attention to a growing NFL issue. Players want to wear creative gear, not just for themselves, but for causes they support and the NFL continues to fine players for such infractions. The league has positive PR sitting on a platter and it continues to fine players like Beckham for doing, objectively, the right thing. Remember, the NFL once fined DeAngelo Williams, whose mother died of breast cancer, for writing "Find the Cure" on his eye black.
The NFL has a full offseason to make changes. If the league fails to adjust, this problem will only get worse before it gets better. The NFL just fined a player for honoring one of the good guys of the sports world who died of leukemia a few days prior to the game. If that's not a sign the rule is broke, what is?
Earlier this week, Beckham called the NFL out for inconsistencies in not fining Ezekiel Elliott for celebrating a touchdown in a Salvation Army kettle.
That's funny there's no fine for that. I could only imagine if I was the one to do it. Just bein honest .
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) December 19, 2016
Forget Beckham's personal point. He should worry about himself and get over that. He has a great job, a lot of money and a life most of the world would give anything for. But, he does have a point about the inconsistency of NFL fines. Why is Elliott off the hook from getting a fine? The NFL could argue that his excessive celebration was for a good cause. But so were Beckham's cleats. What's the difference? Elliott says he'll make a donation, but Beckham is literally auctioning the cleats off for charity.
One manufacturing "My Cleats My Cause" week isn't the solution. The players are not going to stop making natural decisions to do good deeds during the season. It's time for the NFL and its brand sponsors to realize doing the right thing is just and will help business.
-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.
