Houston Texans cornerback Jaylin Smith’s penalty has been reduced to $6,223 from $7,779 following an appeal, according to a report cited by heavy.com. The NFL fine stemmed from an unauthorized shoe logo seen while Smith was warming up before a preseason matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. The logo’s identity has not been reported.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported the decision Sept. 12, before Houston’s regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills. The NFL said Smith had a chance to fix the uniform issue but concluded that a smaller fine was still appropriate. The penalty was identified as Smith’s first offense.
The league’s first-offense penalties for uniform issues involving socks, jerseys and undergarments are listed at $5,971, while unauthorized logos and intellectual-property violations may result in fines of as much as $11,941 for a first violation.
Smith may qualify for repayment under an NFL policy announced by the NFL Players Association in August. Under the policy, a player with one offense in an eligible category may receive the entire fine back after the season, although the NFLPA did not specify those categories. Because Smith’s issue happened during warmups on the field, it could be covered under the policy’s on-field-conduct provision.
He would have to avoid another applicable violation during the rest of the 2026 regular season. The policy’s application to this fine remains unclear.
