Bose, the NFL's official home audio and speaker sponsor, is "apparently trying to head" off any issue created by NFL players' preference for the popular Beats by Dre brand by sending them "a shipment of goodies" that includes Bose headphones, according to Darin Gantt of PRO FOOTBALL TALK. Panthers DE Charles Johnson "tweeted out of picture of a new set of their headphones with the caption 'Didn’t have to wait long,'" while Panthers K Graham Gano thanked them for "these awesome headphones." The Panthers "sent out a photo saying every player on the roster had a set in their locker this morning." Beats by Dre has endorsement deals with several NFL players, and "since many players already owned that competing product," the Bose deal was likely to "have created an enforcement issue at some stage" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 10/10). 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick on Thursday said that he "has been fined $10,000 by the NFL for the pink 'Beats by Dre' brand name headphones he wore around his neck" after last Sunday's home game against the Chiefs. The AP's Janie McCauley noted Kaepernick "has an endorsement deal with Beats." Kaepernick "declined to say whether Beats would pick up the cost of his fine." He said, "We'll let that be unanswered" (AP, 10/9). Rams DE Chris Long in a tweet compared Kaepernick's fine to the one the league levied against Broncos TE Julius Thomas for a chop block that injured Cardinals DE Calais Campbell last Sunday. Long tweeted, "8500 for Julius Thomas chop block! Accidental or not... Kaepernick7 got hit for more wearing some headphones!!! Corporate!!!! Laughable!!!" (TWITTER.com, 10/9).
