Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch "planned to wear" a pair of gold Nike cleats in yesterday's NFL Championship game against the Packers, but the NFL "found out" and threatened to eject him from the game if he wore them, according to Fox' Jay Glazer. The league "actually contacted the Seahawks and threatened, 'If Marshawn Lynch wears those cleats -- because they're not league-sanctioned cleats -- if he wears them in this game, he'll be ejected." Glazer said Lynch "obviously wasn't happy" when he heard about the league's threat and "pushed back." A league official said, "We did threaten that. More likely, though, we probably just won't allow him in the game until he puts on the proper cleats" ("Fox NFL Sunday," Fox, 1/18). USA TODAY's Tom Pelissero noted TMZ on Friday reported the cleats "cost $1,100, including 24K gold flake paint and a gold chrome plate on the bottom." A source said that the "fact the shoe plan was public days in advance gave the league time to tell Lynch to change or he wouldn't be allowed into the game." Lynch "took the field wearing green and blue cleats with gold bottoms for warm-ups and kept them on when the first half began" (USA TODAY, 1/19). CSNBAYAREA.com's Ray Ratto wrote Lynch's "latest act of civil near-disobedience ... wasn't near the hoop-de-doo it was supposed to be, but it's the planning rather than the executing that matters" (CSNBAYAREA.com, 1/18). YAHOO SPORTS' Frank Schwab wrote if the "goal was for Nike to get free publicity, well it worked like a charm" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/18).
DOUBLE COVERAGE: In Seattle, Annie Zak reports Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and CB Richard Sherman are "getting the word out about health coverage." In new PSAs released last week, one for the Washington Healthplanfinder website and one for HealthCare.gov, Wilson and Sherman "warn people not to wait until they're hurt or sick to buy health insurance." The deadline to "sign up for a plan through Healthplanfinder is Jan. 23 for coverage that starts on Feb. 1" (PUGET SOUND BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/16 issue).
PATRIOTS' GAMES: Patriots CB Darrelle Revis has signed on as a brand ambassador with Steaz, an organic and fair trade green tea company (Steaz). Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported Patriots RB LaGarrette Blount "got the trademark for 'Blount Force Trauma' less than two weeks ago" (TWITTER.com, 1/18).
