Will the NFL fine the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle for his ‘F*** Dallas’ T-shirt?
While it’s clear there’s no love lost between the teams involved in arguably the NFL’s biggest rivalry, there are rules that must be respected by players.
Should it come to pass that the league fines the 49ers star, it will undoubtedly bring into question once again what is ‘too much’ when it comes to all that goes on in a rivalry between two teams. Illegal plays on the field are one thing, but what about the banter off it?
NFL could fine George Kittle for offensive T-shirt
According to reports this week, the NFL is currently considering leveling a fine at the San Francisco 49ers’ tight end, George Kittle, for a T-shirt that he wore under his uniform and later revealed during his team’s win against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The shirt in question featured an explicit message in reference to the Cowboys, which it is now understood is at the center of the league’s issue. Where the NFL’s 2023 fine schedule is concerned, it’s understood that a player can be fined $10,927 for personal messages.
Regarding what Kittle’s T-shirt actually read, “F*** Dallas” was the statement emblazoned on it, a message that fans could plainly see when he revealed the shirt following a 26-yard score by teammate and running back Jordan Mason. For his part, Kittle contributed three touchdowns in what turned out to be a 42-10 win. As for the ‘why’ behind his choice in fashion, Kittle explained during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday that he “might have been mildly inspired” by former 49ers linebacker Gary Plummer, a man who wore a similar shirt back in 1994 when the 49ers met the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. “It’s just there’s some things that need to be worn for the franchise, and I think it’s just coincidence that it just happened to appear on my chest on ‘Sunday Night Football,’” he said.
Micah Parsons didn’t like George Kittle’s T-shirt
It should come as no surprise that Kittle’s attire was not well received by the Cowboys themselves. Indeed, star pass rusher Micah Parsons aired his thoughts on what he believed was an unnecessary move by Kittle and promised that the Cowboys would respond to it should the teams meet again. “I just feel like he’s making it way more personal than it had to be,” Parsons said on his podcast. “Kittle’s my guy, but I’m gonna say this: Laugh now, cry later. We got something for that, just trust. If we see them again, just trust. ...If you wanna make it personal, we can make it personal.”
Will we get a 49ers vs Cowboys Pt 3?
As mentioned above, the 49ers and Cowboys are without doubt one of the NFL’s biggest - if not the biggest - rivalries and have been for decades. With that said, things have got particularly testy in recent seasons, and given what just happened, that’s not likely to change. To be clear, the teams have now played each other in the postseason in each of the last two seasons. On both occasions, it was the Niners who came out on top, which is to say if they do meet again this year it will be in the postseason once more i.e., it’s going to be lit. As for Kittle, he’ll need to watch himself if/when that time comes especially where his wardrobe is concerned, and not because of any potential fines.