Houston Texans cornerback Jaylin Smith had a fine reduced from $7,779 to $6,223 after an appeal, according to a report cited by heavy.com. The penalty involved an unauthorized shoe logo that was visible during warmups at a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported the decision on Sept. 12, on the eve of Houston’s regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills. The logo involved has not been identified in the available report.
The penalty was described as Smith’s first offense. The NFL determined that he had been given an opportunity to correct the uniform issue but maintained that a fine was warranted at a lower amount. The league lists first-time uniform violations involving items such as socks, jerseys and undergarments at $5,971.
Unauthorized logos and intellectual-property violations can carry penalties of up to $11,941 for a first offense.
Smith could also be eligible for reimbursement under an NFL policy announced by the NFL Players Association in August. The policy says players with one offense in eligible categories can receive the full fine amount back at the end of the season. The NFLPA did not identify those categories in its announcement.
