Robert Griffin III explains why NFL should fine Nick Bosa for MAGA hat

Robert Griffin III believes the NFL will and should fine Nick Bosa for crashing a postgame interview on NBC with a MAGA hat.

As NBC’s Melissa Stark interviewed Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Isaac Guerendo after the San Francisco 49ers’ 30-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football last week, Bosa forged his way into the camera shot with a “Make America Great Again” hat before quickly retreating. The hat choice wasn’t much of a surprise for Bosa, who was already a known Donald Trump supporter, but it could still be worthy of a fine from the NFL. And according to Griffin, it should be worthy of a fine.

“Yes, Nick Bosa will get fined for wearing that hat,” Griffin said. “And whether you like it or not, he should! Nick Bosa can vote for who he wants, wear what he wants and speak on whatever he wants. But Nick Bosa also has to be prepared for the backlash for expressing his political views and the fine that will come. And trust me, this is coming from experience.”

Griffin recalled wearing a ‘Know Jesus, Know Peace’ shirt to a press conference after a game and being informed he would be fined for wearing a message that was not approved by the NFL. In protest of the rule, Griffin wore the shirt inside out.

The fine Bosa is likely to receive, and the one Griffin would have received, falls under NFL rulebook, Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8. The rule states “players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the league office” on game day, while visible to the stadium or TV audience. Bosa wore his MAGA hat on game day, while visible to the stadium and TV audience.

“And we all know what happened to Colin Kaepernick,” Griffin continued. “He protested police brutality and racial inequality during the national anthem. Wasn’t being political, but him kneeling was used to further the political divide in America. It ended his career. So if the NFL was going to fine me for wearing a ‘Know Jesus, Know Peace’ shirt and Colin Kaepernick lost his career for protesting, then Nick Bosa will get fined for wearing his MAGA hat.”

Bosa supporters have pointed to other athletes publicly endorsing presidential candidates without retribution. But while LeBron James and Steph Curry have publicly endorsed Kamala Harris, that’s not what Bosa did. In fact, Bosa declined to offer an endorsement when he was asked about the MAGA hat after the game. Bosa will be fined for his hat, he wouldn’t have been fined for an endorsement.

[RGIII]