The league frowns on players using what is considered a league event to promote something that it has not approved. And despite Lynch’s short time on the podium Tuesday and Wednesday, he certainly got a lot of free advertising from news clips and social media showing the hats.
Lynch’s situation isn’t exactly parallel to Urlacher’s in that Lynch wasn’t wearing a brand that competes with a league sponsor. The hat is made by New Era, which is the official hat of the NFL.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson came to his teammate’s defense Wednesday.
“I just think that sometimes we focus on things that don’t matter and don’t make any difference,” Wilson said. “Marshawn is a great football player and a guy that puts his work in every day and is dedicated to the game of football and dedicated to his teammates. There are times I don’t think he should be fined, especially to extent that people try to fine him. That’s just my honest opinion.
“The guy loves the game. Sometimes people try to take away from people the way they are. I don’t think he should be fined, personally.”
Lynch is no stranger to fines. 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 contingent 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.
Online sportsbook Sportsbook.com had a prop bet on whether Lynch would get fined for media day. The odds of that happening were set at 8-to-1, but the sportsbook lowered odds significantly after bets came in heavy for Lynch to get docked.
Article Appeared @http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12242300/marshawn-lynch-get-fined-nfl-wearing-beastmode-hat-super-bowl-media-day-sources-say