NFL star Nick Bosa fined for wearing MAGA hat in support of Donald Trump
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San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa has been fined £11,255 by the NFL for wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat during a postgame interview following his team's victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The defensive end remained defiant about his decision to don the political headwear, telling reporters on Wednesday: "It was well worth it."
The fine came after Bosa crashed an NBC postgame interview sporting the white hat with gold lettering in support of Donald Trump.
The incident occurred during a Week 8 match when Bosa interrupted an interview being conducted by NBC's Melissa Stark with teammates George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Isaac Guerendo.
During the broadcast, Stark acknowledged Bosa's appearance by stating: "Nick Bosa with a message there," whilst his teammates smiled awkwardly.
NBC later removed Bosa's interruption from the social media version of the interview.
Nick Bosa has been slapped with a fine by the NFL for wearing the MAGA hat
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The league deliberately waited until after the 2024 Presidential Election to issue the penalty.
The NFL's decision was based on Rule 5, Article 8 of the league's rulebook, which prohibits players from displaying personal messages during game day visibility.
The regulation specifically bans messages related to "political activities or causes" throughout periods when players are visible to stadium and television audiences.
This includes pregame warm-ups, bench areas, and postgame interviews, whether in the locker room or on the field.
All displayed items must be pre-approved by the League office and must relate solely to team or League events.
The NFL has been intentionally steering clear of political controversy during the election season, focusing instead on being a unifying force.
"We're trying to be very, very, very intentional about being unifying during a polarizing time in our country," a high-ranking NFL executive told CBS Sports.
The league views itself as the "last, great convening force in this country in terms of platform, audience and media attention," according to sources.
Nick Bosa has no regrets over wearing the hat
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League officials emphasise they aren't trying to silence anyone, instead encouraging "diversity of thought and views."
When asked about his decision to wear the MAGA hat, Bosa was notably reserved, stating only: "I'm not going to talk too much about it, but I think it's an important time."
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Nick Bosa threw his support behind Donald Trump for the US election
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Following Tuesday's election results, Bosa maintained his reticence, telling reporters: "I don't think my position on speaking about it is going to change."
The 49ers star, who signed a five-year, £170 million extension in 2023, has previously shown support for Trump, meeting the former president at a UFC fight in Miami over the summer.
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