14 Crazy and Ridiculous Fines NFL Players Have Received

From socks worn too low to sporting the wrong hat, here are all the weird rules players must abide by

It's official. Playing for the NFL is kind of like going to preschool. Not because we had a lot of large angry men in our preschool, but because of some of the rules that come with playing professional football.

Seattle Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch, he of "I'm here so I won't get fined" sophistication, is in danger of being fined yet again for wearing an unlicensed NFL hat during a Super Bowl press conference with the media. According to reports, the fact that Lynch's Beast Mode cap was worn while he did "interviews" will probably lead to a fine of as much as $100,000. 

Yes, the National Football League forbids players to wear brands that conflict with league partners, such as Nike or Bose. Pretty soon they'll be making the players stand on chairs and put their arms at their waist to make sure their school girl skirts are longer than their fingertips. Well, probably not, but you catch what we're throwing at you.

Here are 14 other crazy-ridiculous fines handed down by the NFL in recent years:

1. Wes Welker

Back in 2011 when he was still part of the New England Patriots, Wes Welker was fined $10,000 for wearing a hat promoting Bonk energy bars, a company he invests in. The problem Welker had with that slap on the wrist was that he had been wearing that hat all season long, and no one said a thing.

2. Nate Burleson

The Detroit wide receiver revealed a shirt underneath his jersey before a 2010 game against the St. Louis Rams that said "What up doe" and later punted a ball into the stands after scoring a touchdown. All that celebration cost him $15,000.

3. Brandon Jacobs

For tossing his football into the stands out of a frustration during a 2010 game against the Indianapolis Colts, an incident he claims was completely accidental, the New York Giants' running back was fined $10,000.

4. Clinton Portis and Sean Taylor

Back in 2004, Portis and the late Taylor were both fined a total of $15,000 for "uniform violations." What did they do? They both wore red socks instead of white two weeks in a row. The next season, both got fined again for uniform violations. Portis wore black shoes and striped socks and was charged $20,000, while Taylor also wore striped socks for a fine of $5,000.

5. Ryan Clark

Speaking of Sean Taylor, after his untimely death, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark wore eye black with the number 21 written on it as a tribute to Taylor. That cost him $5,000.

6. Randy Moss

In 2005, Moss was fined $10,000 for pretending to moon the crowd after scoring a touchdown against the Packers. Childish? Of course. Worthy of forking over 10 grand? Nah.

7. Brandon Marshall

The Chicago Bears wide receiver decided to wear green shoes in a 2013 game against the New York Giants to honor National Mental Health Awareness Month. Marshall suffers from bipolar disorder, and he knew he would be fined before going into the game. After getting the $5,250 punishment from the NFL, he made the same donation to a charity, as previously promised.

8. Marshawn Lynch

This past November, the Super Bowl bound running back was fined $100,000 for not talking to media enough over two seasons. 

9. Troy Polamalu

In 2011 during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Steelers safety was hit hard, sustained a mild concussion and had to be removed from the game as a precaution. Once he got to the sidelines, he used a doctor's cell phone to call his wife and let her know he was fine, which we're sure she greatly appreciated. Because using a cell phone during the game is against the rules, Polamalu was fined $10,000.

10. Colin Kaepernick

The 49ers quarterback wore pink Beats by Dre headphones after a game this past October to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month. The trouble with that was Beats are not official sponsors of the NFL. The league has an exclusive partnership with Bose, so even though Kaepernick has his own deal with Beats and he was trying to promote a good cause, he was fined $10,000.

11. Brian Urlacher

The Chicago Bears star got a huge $100,000 bill for wearing an unlicensed hat for Vitamin Water during Super Bowl appearances on Media Day. 

12. Chad Johnson

The former Bengals star, who was no stranger to fines over his NFL career, was just kidding around when he pretended to bribe a ref during a game against the Ravens in 2009, but the league did not laugh. Instead, they made him pay $20,000 for his little stunt.

13. Cam Newton

The Panthers QB performed a huge faux pas when he wore Under Armour facemask clips during his rookie season after signing an endorsement contract with the company. Unfortunately, wearing anything else but Nike gear during a game means a fine, so Newton had to fork over $10,000.

14. Frank Gore

The 49ers star was fined twice during the 2012 season, over $15,000 in total. Why? Because he wore his socks too low.