Houston Texans cornerback Jaylin Smith had his fine reduced from $7,779 to $6,223 after appealing a penalty tied to an unauthorized shoe logo displayed during warmups at a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported the reduction on X on Sept. 12, shortly before Houston’s regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills. The logo involved in the incident has not been identified in the available report.
The penalty was Smith’s first offense. NFL guidelines list first-time uniform violations at $5,971 and second offenses at $17,911. Separate penalties for unauthorized logos or intellectual-property violations can reach $11,941 for a first offense and $23,882 for later violations.
A policy announced by the NFL Players Association in August could affect how much Smith ultimately pays. Under the change, a player who commits one offense in a qualifying category can receive the full fine back after the season. The announcement did not identify the categories, but the changes concerned player health and safety and actions occurring on the field.
Because warmups take place on the playing surface, Smith’s case could fall within the policy.
