Is the NFL fining players for 9/11 tributes?

Sep 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Detail view of cleats worm by Tennessee Titans linebacker Avery Williamson (54) before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Detail view of cleats worm by Tennessee Titans linebacker Avery Williamson (54) before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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There has been some talk about the NFL fining players for 9/11 tributes. Is it true?

In the days leading up to Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season, there was certainly plenty of controversy surrounding the league. Even though there was a schedule full of great games to be played (and the games certainly didn’t disappoint), the biggest topic of conversation was easily on the story that just won’t go away. Who would kneel and who would stand during the national anthem? Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall was the first to officially kneel during the regular season, but that was on Thursday night.

Obviously, the most games in any given week during the NFL season are going to be played on Sunday. Except that this past Sunday had a little more meaning to it.

Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of the heinous attacks of September 11, 2001, which only fueled the fire of those who disagree with any NFL player that refuses to stand for the national anthem. And yes, there were a few more instances that got some folks bent out of shape.

But then, yet another issue that actually has nothing to do with the outcome of the game came up: the uniform code. Seriously, the uniform code became an issue as a number of players, including Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz and Avery Williamson, planned to wear special cleats in remembrance of 9/11, even as reports that anyone who wore such cleats would be fined by the league.

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Multiple outlets jumped on the story. FOX News reported that each player was expecting to be fined in the neighborhood of $6000. Even Snopes got in on it as they do to decipher what was true and what wasn’t and just this morning, FOX Business even tweeted out that the players would indeed be fined for their actions on Sunday.

However, in a tweet from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com just a short while ago, he’s reporting that the NFL will NOT be fining the players involved in these special 9/11 tributes.

This just once again goes to show that reports are just that — reports. Some people were freaking out at the FOX Business tweet, but then one of the more reputable sources in the NFL came out not long after to let us all know it’s not true.

Still, though, we can all agree that the fact we even had to have this discussion is a little ridiculous in the first place.