Nick Bosa has been fined by the NFL for wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat after the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys, despite insisting it was “well worth it”
Star defensive end Nick Bosa has been slapped with a hefty fine by the NFL for sporting a ‘MAGA’ hat on the field at Levi’s Stadium after a San Francisco 49ers game.
Following the 49ers’ 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on October 27, Bosa gatecrashed NBC reporter Melissa Stark’s postgame interview with quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle and running back Isaac Guerendo, all while donning a “Make America Great Again” cap.
The pass rusher, who is an outspoken Donald Trump supporter, pointed to the slogan emblazoned across his forehead before darting out of the camera shot – an action that breached the league’s policy against showcasing personal messages.
According to rule 5, section 4, article 8 of the NFL rule book, “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.”
This includes any items that are “visible to the stadium and television audience,” including “during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field.”
NFL star Bosa was slapped with an $11,255 (£8,800) fine for his recent antics, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The fine came just days after the 27 year old predicted he might be penalised following Trump’s landslide victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election.
Speaking to journalists, Bosa admitted he expected the fine but felt “it was well worth it,” saying: “if [the fine] comes, it comes.”
After his ‘Sunday Night Football’ display, Bosa avoided further comment during a postgame press conference, stating: “I’m not gonna talk too much about it, but I think it’s an important time,” and donning a different cap. Despite being probed by the media on his choice of headwear, Bosa remained tight-lipped.
“I don’t think my position on speaking about it is going to change,” he remarked on Wednesday. “Clearly the nation spoke and we got what we got.”
When quizzed about his Election Night experience, Bosa shared: “It was fun, it was a good time. [I] stayed up.”
Bosa’s reluctance to elaborate on his personal beliefs has drawn criticism from former ESPN anchor Jemele Hill, who slammed him for not justifying his political stance. Referencing LeBron James’ detailed explanation of his endorsement of Harris during a media session, she posted on X: “Oh look, LeBron was asked about a public political statement that he made and he explained IN DETAIL why he did it. Nick Bosa doesn’t have the guts to do this.”
