NFL Accused Of 'Double Standard' After Nick Bosa’s MAGA Hat Fine Resurfaces

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is back in the headlines, not for his record-breaking plays, but for a fine that fans say proves the NFL is guilty of a political “double standard.” In October 2024, Bosa crashed NBC’s postgame broadcast following the 49ers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys. Standing alongside quarterback Brock Purdy, he proudly sported a white cap with the slogan “Make America Great Again” in support of Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy. The NFL wasted no time handing down punishment. Days later, Nick Bosa was fined $11,255 for violating the league’s uniform and equipment policy, which bans players from displaying personal messages during game-day appearances without prior league approval.

Bosa, who signed a $170 million contract extension just weeks before the incident, shrugged off the penalty at the time. “It was well worth it,” he told reporters at the time.

While the fine itself is nearly a year old, the outrage it sparked has resurfaced after a viral post compared Bosa’s punishment to the league’s treatment of players who supported Black Lives Matter. “DOUBLE STANDARD. Nick Bosa slapped with an $11,255 fine for wearing a MAGA hat. When players wore BLM gear, took knees, and plastered social justice slogans on the field, not a single fine was issued. The league endorsed it,” one user wrote on X.

Another chimed in, “This is from November 2024, but outrage is the same!!” While others didn’t hold back their disgust. “The NFL leadership is disgusting," someone said as another wrote, “I walked away from the NFL years ago when it started embracing woke culture, and I haven’t looked back.”

The renewed frustration stems from the NFL’s shifting stance on activism.

In 2020, following the death of George Floyd, Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted the league had mishandled the issue of player protests, releasing a statement saying, “We were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest.”

The league went on to incorporate social justice messaging on fields, helmets, and uniforms, while allowing players to kneel during the national anthem, an action widely supported by players but polarizing among fans.

The resurfacing of Nick Bosa’s MAGA hat fine comes at a time when the NFL is already under fire for another politically charged decision, its choice to hold a league-wide moment of silence for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Before the "Thursday Night Football" matchup between the Washington Commanders and the Green Bay Packers, the league paused for a tribute to Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this month while speaking at Utah Valley University. The NFL later confirmed it was “the league’s decision” to honor him, while leaving Sunday’s Week 2 games up to individual clubs.

“The National Football League asks that you please join us in a moment of silent reflection following the murder of Charlie Kirk. The NFL condemns all violence in our communities," the in-stadium public address announcer said about 25 minutes before kickoff. "It will take all of us to stop hate. Thank you.”

The move immediately sparked backlash from critics who accused the league of playing politics. Supporters, however, pointed to the NFL’s long history of honoring victims of tragedies, from school shootings and natural disasters to the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue attack and the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

“There have been moments following school shootings or an attack on a house of worship such as the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018," the NFL said at the time. "There also have been moments following major international incidents such as Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and weather-related incidents such as major hurricanes and fires."

The NFL even noted its tribute to Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin following his on-field collapse in 2023.

The controversy over Nick Bosa’s fine also connects to the NFL’s broader effort to keep politics off the field. At the end of 2024, just days after Donald Trump’s reelection, the league circulated a memo to all teams warning players against displaying political imagery on game day.

The league’s rules prohibit players from displaying personal or political messages during any period when they’re visible to fans or television audiences, including warm-ups, bench time, and postgame interviews. The policy, while longstanding, has repeatedly become a flashpoint in debates over free expression, activism, and double standards.